Agenda - 11-15-94 - VIII-C - Laserfiche WebLink

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SENT BY: XEROX Telecopier 7017; 11-14-94 ; 3.47PM ; 3444 uu4;4 1 /),11/1- //— r November 14, 1994 Y Via Facsimile TO Rod Visser,Assistant County Manager FROM: John Schmid, The News& Observer RE: Draft Fee Policy for Data Processing Services Thank you for sending me the draft Fee Policy for Data Processing Services that you plan to present to the Orange County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, November 15, It has been reviewed by Dan Woods, our Database Editor, and by Hugh Stevens, counsel to The News c Observer and to the North Carolina Press Association. In light of the fact that all public information is compiled at public expense and belongs to the public, The News&Observer believes that copies of public records should be available to the public at the actual cost of reproducing them. In the vast majority of instances involving requests for electronic copies, this means that the only cost should be the cost of the computer disk or tape on which the record is reproduced. We do not believe that North Carolina law or public policy permits public agencies to establish user fees that shift personnel or equipment costs to persons who request copies of public records. We recognize that unusual or complex requests may occasionally require a public agency to go to extraordinary lengths to provide the information requested. In such instances we are prepared to reimburse public agencies for their reasonable costs in complying with such requests. The News&Observer strongly urges the Orange County Board of Commissioners to reject the proposed draft policy and to adopt instead a policy that reflects the principles outlined above. To this end, we enclose and commend to your consideration copies of Executive Order No. 37,which was signed by Governor Hunt on January 28, 1994,and of an article from the Winter, 1993 issue of popular Government entitled "The Widest Possible Access": Wake County's Approach to Computerized Records, Open Government, and privacy, We believe that the policies implemented by Governor Hunt's executive order and described in the Popular Government article are filly consistent with the North Carolina Public Records Law and are working well I and other representatives of The News&Observer will attend Tuesday night's meeting and will be prepared to discuss the proposed policy, and our response to it, it greater detail.