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County archivist outlines fee revenue and plan to move archives to armory
Summary
The county archivist described growth in public-records requests, reported $11,834.27 in archives fee revenues to date on a $44,003.59 budget and proposed moving the archives to the armory to gain roughly 1,250 square feet for storage and a museum area.
The county archivist told the Houston County budget committee that requests for public records have grown substantially and that the archives generate fee revenue that offsets part of the department’s budget.
The archivist said the archives were established in November 2010 and that the office received about $11,834.27 in archives fee revenue from July through February, projecting about $17,750.27 for the full budget year. The archivist stated the total archives budget on the worksheet as $44,003.59, leaving a net taxpayer cost of about $26,608.73 after fees.
The archivist explained the public‑records request process, including the requirement (as presented) that requesters provide a Tennessee driver’s license and that the office has 30 business days to respond or produce a timetable for extended production. The archivist described frequently handled requests (budget copies, body‑camera footage, 911 logs) and the need to preserve and index permanent records to prevent deterioration.
The archivist proposed moving the archives and museum to the armory, which would increase space from 1,168 square feet to about 2,420 square feet — adding roughly 1,250 square feet for storage and public displays. She said most of that move could be accomplished with existing budget lines and grant applications for shelving.
What happens next: The committee thanked the archivist and asked staff to coordinate a move plan and to include any grant opportunities that could pay for shelving and digitization work.
