Members of the Carter County Commission will consider the adoption of a formal open records policy when the group meets on Monday evening.
A state law passed last year requires that every government entity in the state implement a public records policy by July 1, 2017. The law also required the Tennessee Office of Open Records Counsel to draft a model policy to help government entities in the development of their own policies.
The policy set for adoption by the Carter County Commission followed the Office of Open Record Counsel’s model policy while making some changes specific to Carter County.
Members of the county’s Rules and Bylaws Committee approved the policy during their meeting on June 6 and forwarded the policy to the full Commission for approval during their June 19 meeting.
Both state law and the proposed policy define “public records” as “all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, microfilms, electronic data processing files and output, films, sound recordings, or other material regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any governmental agency.”
The policy also designates a “Public Records Request Coordinator” as a point of contact for any Tennessee resident seeking access to the county’s public records. The Carter County Finance Department is taking the lead for public record requests for the county, and the Public Records Request Coordinator will be Leisa Wright, who works within the Finance Department.
Requests for inspection of a county record may be made orally or in writing to Wright. Requests for copies and requests to inspect a record and receive copies shall be made in writing using the county’s Public Records Request Form.
Those requesting to inspect or receive copies of public records will have to provide proof of Tennessee citizenship by presenting a valid Tennessee driver’s license or state or federally issued photo identification containing the person’s residential address.
Both state law and the county’s proposed policy provide certain instances when a records holder may deny a request for inspection or copies.
Some records are exempt from public inspection due to the nature of their content. If a records custodian denies a request for this reason, they must provide the reason for the exemption in writing to the requestor.
A records custodian can also deny a request if the person making the request is not a Tennessee citizen or has not provided satisfactory proof of their residency; the governmental entity is not the custodian of the requested records; the records do not exist; or if the request lacks specificity. In the case of requests that are not specific, the policy recommends the records custodian assist the person making the request in clarifying which specific records they are requesting.
The County Commission is set to meet on Monday, June 19, at 6 p.m. in the courtroom on the second floor of the Carter County Courthouse.