Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Government Transparency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chair raises concerns about nondisclosure and public‑records practice; calls for compliance
Summary
Chairman Charles Coffey urged the commission to follow open‑records norms, cited concerns about overuse of nondisclosure, and said public property and asset records should be available on Q‑Public unless law permits withholding.
At the March 25 work session Chairman Charles Coffey raised concerns about the county's approach to public records and nondisclosure, saying the county has not consistently followed open‑records expectations. Coffey said some items are legitimately confidential but that the county should not broadly withhold property or asset records on Q‑Public without legal basis. He asked commissioners and staff to review the law and adjust practices accordingly.
Coffey framed the comments as a call for compliance with public‑records law rather than a specific administrative action at this time. He said there are acceptable exemptions— for example, certain law‑enforcement matters— but that routine ownership and asset information should be publicly available when required by statute. The commission did not take immediate action but discussed reviewing procedures and consulting legal counsel as needed.
