Public commenters urge Douglas County to stop printing full home addresses in minutes; commissioners consider sign-in changes

During general public comment Oct. 8, a resident identified as John Imes asked the Douglas County Commission to end the practice of publishing speakers' full home addresses in posted meeting minutes, saying the practice exposes private information and could deter civic participation.

Imes told the commission he saw inconsistent publication across minutes and formally requested the addresses be stopped from being printed. Commissioners and staff responded with a multi-part discussion: staff noted the sign-in sheet is a public record and that addresses written there are part of the meeting record; commissioners observed Kansas law permits only limited exemptions (for law-enforcement officers or judges) and discussed alternatives such as permitting ZIP codes or general location labels (neighborhood or city) in lieu of full addresses. A commissioner suggested staff could modify the sign-in sheet to give commenters the option to provide a non-identifying location.

The chair said he would work with staff (Sarah and Robin were named) to investigate options and return with recommended language or a change in practice. No formal policy change was adopted at the meeting; commissioners signaled interest in a more flexible sign-in approach to balance public-record requirements and commenter privacy.