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Committee raises redaction and fee questions for open records as move approaches
Summary
During the Dec. 11 meeting, Chair Cyndi Pickel and committee members discussed redaction procedures and how to compensate staff for open-records work; Jerry McCarter recommended consulting the State and said fees after the first hour should be based on the lowest-paid employee's hourly wage.
Cyndi Pickel raised concerns about redaction and whether employees should be paid for time spent processing open-records requests during the Dec. 11 Sevier County records committee meeting.
"Concerns and questions about redaction and paying employees for services," Pickel said during the discussion. Jerry McCarter urged the committee to "speak with State to make sure we are in compliance" and stated that the committee can charge for copies after the first hour "the charge is of the lowest employee's hourly wage." The committee did not take a formal vote on changing fee policy during the meeting.
Committee members discussed the operational implications of redaction work and staff time, and asked staff to follow up with state guidance. Judge Jeff Rader additionally requested that the committee check with CTAS about whether certified copies could be produced at the new facility once records are relocated.
No formal policy changes or fee schedules were adopted at the meeting; members directed follow-up inquiries to external guidance and deferred any fee-setting decisions pending that guidance.
