\n
![](\"http:\/\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8328\/8127512868_2056138d49.jpg\"\nalt=\"Kelly)
<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n
\nKelly Lenz, Library Director, Tom Gooding, Attorney
\n
\nLeft to right:
\nan extra item,
\nthe four architect presentations,
\nthe “bible” of what the new library should be (the thick binder and the CD),
\nand agendas, minutes, and board packets (the other two binders).
\n
\nPicture by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
\n
\nat South Georgia Regional Library, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 26 October 2012.
\n<\/small>\n<\/p>\n
\nI know of at least one open records request somewhere else that,
\ntwo years later and counting,<\/p>\n
\nstill isn’t satisfied, for items that it’s difficult to understand
\nhow a certain local government can function if it doesn’t have them
\nreadily available for its own employees to reference.
\nAnd another about simple receipts that took six months to produce.
\nAnd another open records request for agendas and minutes, that,
\nmore than a year later, that board is still stonewalling about.\n<\/p>\n
\nMaybe it takes a library to deliver open records.
\nMaybe other local government bodies might want to take notes.\n<\/p>\n
\nHere’s the open records request that resulted in the documents pictured above.
\nYou may wonder why it took them more than three days
\nto provide the information.
\nNobody ever sent them an open records request.
\nEver, in the memory of anyone now working with the library board,
\nor previous directors of the library.
\nSo they had to figure out what to do.
\nPlus, as you can see, that is a rather massive array of records.\n<\/p>\n
\n-jsq\n<\/p>\n
\nFrom: “John S. Quarterman”
\n
\nTo: Patrick Spurlock
\n
\nCc: “John S. Quarterman”
\n
\nSubject: open records request
\n
\nDate: Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:05:04 -0400
\n
\nHowdy,<\/p>\n\nHere’s a written reminder of my open records request of
\nThursday 18 October 2012. I’m looking forward to seeing you
\nthis afternoon at 4PM. I’ll bring a scanner.\n<\/p>\n\nPursuant to the open records law, I would like to inspect and copy
\nthe following library board records:\n<\/p>\n\n\nMinutes and agendas and packets and RFPs for library board meetings
\ngoing back a year: both for the South Georgia Regional Library Board
\nand the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library Board.\n<\/p>\n\nThe four architect presentations in the last cut before the decision
\nfor the architect for the new library.\n<\/p>\n\nBuilding plan guidelines that the architects had to follow.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe “bible” of what the new library should be.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nAs we discussed, the recent revisions of the Georgia open records law
\nchange the per-page charge for most copies from 25 cents to 10 cents.\n<\/p>\n\nSince the recent changes to the open meetings and open records law
\nare new to everyone, I’ve included here a few references to those changes.\n<\/p>\n\nHere is a video of the Industrial Authority’s attorney explaining some
\nof the changes:\n<\/p>\n\nhttp:\/\/lake.typepad.com\/on-the-lake-front\/2012\/06\/new-georgia-sunshine-laws-explained-by-vlcia-lawyer-vlcia-2012-05-22.html<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\nAJC report on the governor signing the changes into law:
\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.ajc.com\/news\/news\/state-regional-govt-politics\/governor-signs-open-records-rewrite-into-law\/nQS7B\/<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\nACCG summary of the changes:
\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.accg.org\/library\/2012_04_OMOR%20Summary_Final.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\nGMA summary of the changes:
\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.gmanet.com\/MDR.aspx?CNID=71651<\/a>\n<\/p>\n