During a recent government meeting, public comment highlighted concerns regarding the costs associated with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Anita Bonavides, a member of the public, addressed the board, expressing frustration over the fees she has incurred while obtaining meeting agenda packets.

Bonavides detailed her experience, stating that she has paid $670 for access to these documents and recently received an additional bill of $185.76 for a six-month subscription. She questioned the rationale behind being charged for what she described as a straightforward process, noting that she was billed for 15 minutes of work by the FOIA coordinator to locate and send an email containing the agenda.

She argued that the time billed seemed excessive for simply opening an email and criticized the practice of redacting information from the documents. Bonavides pointed out that the law stipulates that certain public records should not incur charges, particularly when they are readily available online. She also mentioned that the fees for her FOIA requests have significantly increased, with her latest subscription costing $305.64 compared to $114.68 previously.

Bonavides concluded her remarks by reminding the board that the superintendent is responsible for overseeing the FOIA process and has the authority to delegate these responsibilities. Her comments underscore ongoing concerns about transparency and accessibility of public records, as well as the financial implications for individuals seeking information from government entities.