HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06032008 - C.103 rTContra
O: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �,E. - �
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FROM: SUPERVISOR JOHN GIOIA, DISTRICT I ntV Costa
DATE: June 3, 2008 A - v` County
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SUBJECT: Developing Countywide policy on how to respond to
Public Records Act requests
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
REFER the development of a Countywide policy on how to respond to Public Records Act requests
to the Internal Operations Committee with a full report back to the Board of Supervisors by
August 12, 2008.
BACKGROUND
The Contra,Costa County Grand Jury recently issued a report entitled"County Employees Must
Know How to Respond to Public Record Requests." The report noted that "while some county
departments and employees investigated responded appropriately to requests for public records,
even providing convenient forms for the purpose, others responded with a variety of roadblocks."
The report further noted that "Some employees claimed no knowledge of the state law or county
policy intended to guarantee openness in government. Others responded with questions clearly
intended to discourage requestors.
The Grand Jury report makes a number of recommendations to better ensure that the County
responds appropriately to a Public Records Act request. It is important that there be a clearly
articulated Board of Supervisors approved policy that makes sure that county employees respond
consistently, appropriately and in a timely manner to Public Records Act requests.
The current County policy on responding to Public Records.Act requests is Administrative Bulletin
120.4. The Grand Jury Report cites several areas where the Administrative Bulletin does not
clearly lay out a clear process.of how to respond to requests for public information. The Grand
Jury Report also recommends that this Administrative Bulletin be reviewed and revised. In fact, this
Administrative Bulletin spends more time discussing what is "confidential" and not disclosable, than
laying out a clear process of how to respond to requests for disclosable documents.
The purpose of this Board Order is to refer this issue as quickly as possible to the Internal
Operations Committee so that the Committee can review Administrative Bulletin 120.4 and the
Grand Jury Report and develop more thorough and clear disclosure guideliness applicable to all
county departments.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: ❑ YES SIGNATURE(4r
vAisor John Gioia, District
❑ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ❑ RECOMMENTION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
❑ APPROVE ❑ OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): nn .
ACTION OF BOARD ON D ce O `0
APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED ,� OTHER ❑
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS. A TRUE AND
CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND
Y—UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
AYES: NOES:
SUPERVISORS. ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED: June 3, 2008
Contact: Terrance Cheung (6-3231) JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
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