City secretary proposes centralized intake for public information requests, effective Sept. 1

City Secretary Mona Lisa Galicia and Deputy City Secretary Kristen Downs presented a resolution to formalize designated submission methods for public information requests and create a centralized intake process. Downs said the resolution "designates our public information officer as the city secretary" and emphasized the goal of consistent, efficient processing while maintaining compliance with the Texas Public Information Act.

Downs said the policy would not change the substance of the Public Information Act but would create a consistent internal workflow: "Under the proposed process, we're not changing the Public Information Act, we're simply establishing designated submission methods and a centralized intake process." Staff proposed bringing the resolution to council for consideration on Aug. 4 and making it effective Sept. 1; they also outlined training for employees and public outreach to help residents find the process on the city website.

During follow-up questions, staff gave workload figures: they said in 2025 they received "1,919" general public information requests (excluding police and some HIPAA records) and that the office is "on track to having about the same." Council members pressed on how fees and labor charges are determined; staff said electronic copies are not charged but "we also do charge for labor" when responses exceed routine search times or require extensive legal review. Staff noted they will provide further data at a future meeting on the number of unique requesters and system tracking.