Area governments follow law

Local municipalities fulfilled FOI requests for meeting minutes promptly and, in most cases, free of charge

Web posted December 14, 1999

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By Jason B. Smith
Columbia County Bureau

Faith Johnson had a purpose as she walked into the Columbia County Commission office in September.

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The Augusta Chronicle reporter wanted a copy of the commission's latest approved meeting minutes. She was testing the county's compliance with Georgia's Freedom of Information laws -- a test the county passed.

``I asked ... if I owed her anything for the copy, and she said `No, life is too short. If you want to read all of this, have at it,''' Miss Johnson wrote in a report of the test. ``They didn't ask me if I was with anyone, they just made the copy; (she) was very courteous and efficient.''

The area's local governments consistently fulfilled public requests for meeting minutes, often within minutes of a verbal request. And the copies were usually free of charge.

Even the lone hiccup -- McDuffie County, where County Clerk Annette Finley wanted a written request for the commission's minutes -- followed the letter of the law, agreeing to distribute the minutes within three days.

The Chronicle polled 11 cities and counties in September, asking for a copy of the latest approved minutes of the city council or county commission. Under Georgia law, any local resident can request a copy of the minutes. Local governments, in turn, must provide the minutes within three days, but can ask for the request in writing and charge no more than 25 cents per page plus any reasonable fee for time spent receiving the information. The first 15 minutes are free.

But in nearly all the local governments polled, copies of the minutes were free.

Not only were the requests filled in nearly every case, the experiences were, for the most part, pleasant.

``Clerk Lynne Flake was very helpful and polite,'' wrote Chronicle reporter S.B. Crawford, who surveyed the Burke County Board of Commissioners.

``Immediately upon request of the commission minutes she retrieved the document, copied and stapled it. She didn't ask my name or any other questions regarding my request. She even gave me directions to the other government offices in Waynesboro.''

Reach Jason B. Smith at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 115.