Board directs staff to uniformly log and post Public Records Act requests after concerns about lapses

Board members raised concerns April 17 that the district’s public records request (PRA) log had not been updated consistently; staff described the log as a voluntary transparency practice begun in 2018 rather than a legal requirement. Legal counsel clarified PRA procedure: the district must make a determination within 10 calendar days and may extend that by 14 days to identify and gather responsive records.

Board discussion focused on whether the log had been selectively posted and the staff time burden required to maintain the log. Multiple members urged full, timely posting to avoid confusion and to uphold the district’s stated transparency commitments. An attorney providing advice told the board that failing to publish a log is not necessarily a statutory violation but may contradict district policy and erode public trust.

The board voted to direct staff to "continue logging without exception," to post PRA receipt and status updates uniformly on the district website, and to report back with information on time and staff resources needed to comply. Staff said they would follow up with specificity on average response time, staff hours devoted to PRR processing, and whether third‑party support or improved systems could reduce staff workload.

Legal counsel cautioned that some delays are routine when large records requests require redaction or search across departments, and explained that a missing log entry may reflect an outstanding determination rather than noncompliance. The board requested improved reporting to ensure consistent public access.