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Morehead City council adopts fee schedule amendment for public records requests
Summary
Council adopted an amended fee schedule establishing a $40-per-hour special service charge for staff time exceeding four hours on public records requests, a $5 flash drive charge, and pass-through postage/shipping costs; the finance committee recommended the change.
The Morehead City Council on unanimously adopted an amendment to the city fee schedule for fiscal year 2026–2027 that sets a public records special service charge and related costs.
Jewel, a finance staff member, presented the proposed change and said it would establish a "public records request special service charge, $40 an hour for staff time that exceeds 4 hours" and would also set a $5 charge for flash drives and recover actual postage or shipping costs. Jewel said a related public records request policy was included for awareness to define definitions, procedures and when the special service charge applies.
Mayor Pro Tem George Baloo said the finance and administration committee reviewed the proposal and recommended moving it to the full council. Baloo moved to adopt the amended fee schedule; Council member Harvey Walker seconded the motion. Mayor Lee Anthony Stiles called for a vote and declared it unanimous.
The council did not read the full policy language into the record during the meeting; staff indicated the policy establishes how and when the special service charge would be assessed.
City staff did not provide an immediate estimate of how many requests would be affected or projected revenue from the change during the meeting.
