The Oregon Department of Administrative Services is refusing to release information about applicants seeking to replace Katy Coba as the director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

The agency began recruiting for the position after Coba left ODA to become the state’s chief operating officer and head the Department of Administrative Services in early October.

The deadline for applications has passed, which prompted Oregon Capital Insider to file a public records request for the names and titles of interested parties.

After consulting with human resources officials at DAS, the agency’s communications strategist, Matthew Shelby, denied the request because it would be an “unreasonable invasion of privacy” for the applicants.

“Public disclosure of all applicants could lead to negative consequences for applicants in their current positions,” Shelby said in an email.

Shelby said the agency would consider releasing information about finalists for the position, “however we are not at that point in the process.”

Oregon Capital Insider has appealed the denial to Oregon’s Office of the Attorney General, arguing that disclosure of these records doesn’t rise to the level of being “highly offensive” to a reasonable person, per Oregon Supreme Court precedent.