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City staff outline Ocean Springs public-records request process and fees amid calls for greater accessibility
Summary
Alderman Messenger asked the board to review public-records fees and responsiveness; city staff explained the 2024 public-records policy, the seven-working-day response window, common exemptions and typical fees (including a $20.25 baseline and outsourced email-search fees), and recommended clearer website guidance and flowcharts.
City staff walked aldermen through Ocean Springs—s public-records request process after Alderman Messenger raised constituent complaints about fees and response times.
Staff explained request methods (online form, email to a public-records inbox, mailed or hand-delivered forms) and said the city has seven working days to respond under its 2024 public-records policy. Staff said most documents are provided free by email in PDF form but that some services incur charges: outsourced email searches, USB or CD media, and extraordinary-search time for very broad or time-consuming requests. The packet attached to the meeting included sample fee schedules from neighboring cities for comparison.
Staff also identified common exemptions and practical constraints: raw video/audio (e.g., 911-call audio) and confidential personnel materials are exempt; staff said they are not required to answer questions in narrative form but must provide documents. Staff advised that vague, overly broad requests can cause missed results and that providing precise search terms helps the requester and staff complete accurate searches.
City statistics presented: 244 public-records requests in 2024, 524 in 2025, and 122 so far in 2026 (through the date of the meeting); hot topics were body-camera footage, code violations, permits and items related to a downtown parking-garage project.
Board direction: aldermen discussed options for making the process clearer on the website (a flowchart, clearer fee descriptions) and requested staff follow up with proposed website language and an example administrative-cost analysis for typical requests.
