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Barry County denies multiple FOIA appeals as public commenters raise concerns about FOIA handling and alleged election-data deletion
Summary
The board denied five FOIA appeals (two denial appeals and three excessive-fee appeals) at the March 24 meeting. Public commenters, including Shelly Lake and Gary White, raised concerns about the county FOIA process, attorney fees for FOIA reviews and an allegation of deleted election data by a former county clerk; Sheriff Leaf also commented on the FOIA decisions.
The Barry County Board of Commissioners on March 24 denied multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) appeals and heard public comments urging review of the county’s FOIA process and raising an allegation about deleted election data.
Jeffrey Snowden presented five appeals: denial appeals for FOIA requests 25-176 and 25-189, and excessive-fee appeals for 25-179, 25-180 and 25-180b. The board voted to deny the denial appeals (25-176 and 25-189) and separately denied the three excessive-fee appeals. Motions to deny were recorded as carried unanimously with Commissioner Bruce Campbell absent.
During the later limited public-comment period, Shelly Lake of Irving Township urged the board to review the county’s FOIA procedures and said she had filed a criminal complaint alleging deletion of election data by a former county clerk. Gary White of Nashville raised concerns about attorney fees associated with FOIA reviews and compliance with the Open Meetings Act; he also noted missing determinations in previously approved minutes. Sheriff Leaf offered comment on the board’s FOIA decisions.
The board’s action denies the record appeals; the minutes do not record any board directive to change FOIA procedures or to investigate the allegation about deleted election data. Public commenters requested further review and raised procedural concerns that the board did not resolve on the record.
What happens next: The appeals are denied per the board votes. The minutes record requests and allegations from members of the public; if further investigation or administrative follow-up is requested, such steps were not recorded in these minutes.
