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Crook County waives small parts of a reporters' records request, orders policy review
Summary
Commissioners approved waiving two low‑effort items from a multi-part public‑records request by a local reporter and directed staff to update the county's public‑records policy to streamline future requests.
County counsel presented a multi-part public-records request from Justin Alderman of the Primeville Review and estimated substantial staff time would be required to process several items. Counsel recommended waiving fees for two low‑cost items — the county’s public‑records retention policy (item 3) and database/file logs for the county meetings web page covering Nov. 13–21 (item 5) — while charging the requester the county’s standard rates for the remaining items, which require more extensive staff and legal review.
Commissioners debated taxpayer cost, transparency and the administrative burden of requests that require legal review. Several commissioners said they support streamlining the process and asked staff to examine other jurisdictions’ practices and draft an updated public‑records policy. One commissioner emphasized protecting limited taxpayer resources; others stressed the public-benefit role of press requests.
The motion to waive fees for items 3 and 5 and to charge standard rates for the remaining portions of the request was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. County counsel said staff will prepare a red‑line of an amended policy for discussion at a January work session. Justin Alderman then addressed the board during public comment and urged the county to make fee‑waiver processes more accessible for journalists and researchers.
