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Commissioners consider formalized records‑request process and defer action to gather more detail
Summary
Board discussed a proposal to require formal public‑records requests in writing via U.S. mail (model language transcribed as SD 1‑27‑37) and agreed to investigate alternatives and return with a recommendation at the next meeting.
Commissioners reviewed a proposed policy to formalize how Buffalo County handles public‑records requests, including requiring formal written requests sent by U.S. mail for records deemed public under South Dakota law. The proposal cites a transcribed reference ("SD1‑Dash27‑Dash37") that staff said came from a model used by another county.
Speaker 1 read the proposed language indicating that the county will treat phone and email requests as informal and will require mailed, formal requests to the listed address for official processing. Speaker 4 said the language modeled on Jones County's approach could create a paper trail, and several commissioners asked staff to research whether email should still be accepted as part of a documented process. The board tabled the item to investigate statutory language and practical alternatives and asked staff to return with a recommendation at the next meeting.
What happens next: Staff will consult the cited statute as transcribed and report options for formalizing records requests, including whether to accept documented email requests, phone requests as informal, or require mailed requests for formal processing.
