Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Records topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenter urges Island County to secure records as EB's trust board faces staffing cuts
Summary
A caller urged the commissioners to confirm custody and preservation plans for public records held by the EB's trust board after the trust reported employee reductions; he recommended contacting the state archivist and the Northwest Archives in Bellingham.
A member of the public told Island County commissioners on July 15 he is concerned about custody of public records held by the EB's trust board after the trust announced staffing reductions.
Joe Kutzler identified himself as a "concerned friend of Island County" and asked commissioners to ask their representatives on the trust board what the plan is for retaining meeting agendas, minutes and other reports. Kutzler said those materials include studies and historic preservation reports that he described as important public records and suggested the county consider working with the state archivist. “There’s a good archives facility in Bellingham that might be a good place to put the records or at least a copy of them for preservation for all time,” Kutzler said.
Commissioner comments later in the meeting noted the trust is facing reduced federal funding; Commissioner Bacon said the trust expects to shrink from three employees to one next year if funding cuts hold and confirmed the trust’s chair was present for part of the meeting. Commissioners did not take formal action at the meeting on custody of records but indicated the matter would be noted and that they heard the concern.
— Ending note: No formal board action was recorded; the commenter’s recommendation to involve the state archivist and Northwest Archives was not adopted during the meeting.
