During the recent board meeting, significant discussions centered around the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and the associated fees for processing them. The active FOIA officer for Central 301 presented a detailed memo outlining the current policies and permissible fees under FOIA, highlighting a distinction between commercial and private requests.

Currently, the district charges 5 cents per page for FOIA requests, significantly lower than the allowable 15 cents per page after the first 50 pages. The officer noted that while charging for the reproduction of documents is permissible, the district has not previously charged for FOIA requests, resulting in zero revenue from this source. The board discussed the potential need to reassess these fees, especially given the substantial time commitment involved in processing requests—estimated at around 96 hours over the past few months.

Concerns were raised about the workload on staff, particularly regarding the time spent on gathering and redacting information for FOIA requests. The board considered the possibility of hiring a dedicated FOIA officer to alleviate some of this burden, with discussions suggesting that this could be a more efficient use of resources than relying on existing staff who juggle multiple responsibilities.

In addition to FOIA discussions, the board also addressed the potential sale of referendum bonds, contingent on the outcome of an upcoming election. If the referendum passes, the district could issue approximately $14.7 million in bonds by the end of December, which would require a special board meeting to finalize. The financial implications of this move were discussed, with assurances that there would be no costs associated with the bond issuance process.

The meeting concluded with a review of recent FOIA requests received by the district, showcasing the ongoing demand for transparency and information from the community. The board's commitment to addressing these requests while managing the associated workload was evident, as they explored ways to improve efficiency and compliance with FOIA regulations.