I am going to weigh in on the public records issue. Because of a career as a newspaperman and because of participation in public policy as an official, I have definite views, as usual. The problem in this country is not too much interest in government but too little. If you know some place where this is not true, I'll stand corrected. There has been a tendency in recent years around the country to price public records to discourage people getting them. What other reason can explain 50 cents or $1.00 a copy? The city clerk of Coffeyville, Kansas, said to me when I was on the commission there, "We can't just become a copy center. We would have people line up out here." Since you couldn't hit a visitor to the city clerk's office with a blundrbuss on any given day, I thought, "Yes, wouldn't that be too bad to have that many people interested in their government." There are three clerks in that office, and I'll defy anyone ever to find more than two customers. Eleanor Dobbs comment about the counter reminds me of the situation in Coffeyville, KS, because such a wall exists there, and they don't want you behind it. The Kansas law is simple and says: "All records required by law to be kept are open to the public." And that's as it should be. They charge 50 cents a copy in Coffeyville. But that means if you want to read a 26-page ordinance pending before the commission, it will cost you $13 and I once had to pay that amount twice. It's 10 cents at the library for records not created by taxpayers. As many of you know, state legislation can run into hundreds of pages. Since when were we supposed to create a situation whereby the average citizen couldn't afford to buy a bill to read? The situation is preposterous and needs reversed. Another time, under instructions from higher authority, the city clerk refused records to me. The attorney general of Kansas ordered her to comply forthwith. In Kansas, they are required to give you a written reason on the spot for refusing the records. I cite Kansas because generally it is the most open government I've seen. My point about these records boils down to this: They are records that were created by and belong to the people. People ought to be allowed to copy them for the price of the copies, similar to the library or the copy center. There is no good reason in this day and age that a copy machine could not be maintained in any records center. The clerks are paid by the taxpayers too. I can understand that a clerk should not have to go on a personal search into the burrows of the vaults for one person, and could charge for that. But it seems to me that the clerks who discourage use of records have forgotten who pays their salaries and who they work for. I am also aware of the damage done to records by the public. But I believe that it would discourage it to make it easy to copy them. What can we do? We can go to City Hall and to the County Commission and urge them to encourage a more open policy toward records. We can support open records laws that REQUIRE access to public records. I would recommend speaking in public meetings on the issue because it is a hard issue for a public official to defend on any rational basis. We can vote clerks that are contemptuous of the public out of office. And we can oppose prices aimed at discouraging access to public records. We can offer alternatives, such as a coin-operated copy machine. You cannot tell me it cannot be done. Tucker County, WV, still charges $1.00 for a birth certificate mailed to you. If you go there, the woman will take you to the records. I realize some offices are busier than that. But I believe it boils down more to the public official/servant's attitude toward the public than it does to the matter of efficiency or burden. I have worked in many states having to obtain records. Never has it better than at the Kansas State Government, at least when I was there. You could walk into any state agency, mention a public record and they would go get it for you, even at the Kansas Historical Society. Taxpayers paid for the creation of the records. Taxpayers built the buildings and offices. Taxpayers paid for the storage of the records. Taxpayers pay for the salaries of the clerks. But many places discourage access to the records that belong to those very taxpayers. One last thought: Make certain your city, county or state has a law barring destruction of public records. Believe me, it has happened in a lot of places. Thanks for your indulgence. That's my sermon for this Sunday. dhamrick@neo.rr.com Dan Hamrick 402 23rd Street NW Canton OH 44709 Phone: 330-454-2376 ---------- >From: edobbs@webtv.net (Eleanor Dobbs) >To: WVPIONEERS-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [WVPioneers] Re: WVPIONEERS-D Digest V00 #216 >Date: Sun, Jul 9, 2000, 2:17 PM > >Jean, >I live in Illinois. In the past, I could go to the >county court, look at the original records in a >small private room with no interference. Election of new officials >changed all that. The >main guy is an old family friend. The clerks >stand behind a tall counter, tell me a can't see >those same books, ask for my needs and dare >me-and anyone else- to challenge their authority. What's come over >people? The cost >for copies is $10. Now do you get the picture? >Wonder where that money goes? >Joe goes to Gallatin Co. courthouse where they have wonderful records >for the genealogists to >search and lovely people to help you, if needed. >Human nature is more at play here than legal >constraints. >When it is known that you have come a distance for info, it should go >without saying that the clerks give this priority. You have spent >far more time than they, in applying for records. >I have experienced this treatment from NARA. >I applied for records on one ancestor years ago, received them, lost >them and reapplied. It comes back "No record can be found." Records >moved, lost or nobody gives a damn? >When we list members give help wthout hesitation to strangers freely, it >is hard to understand the actions of clerks in situ. Maybe >a little bribe is expected? > > > >==== WVPIONEERS Mailing List ==== >The annual Pioneer Family Reunion will be held August 26 and 27, 1999, in >Webster Springs, WV, on Saturday and at the reunion grounds on Sunday. >This is one of the oldest � and once the largest � reunion in West >Virginia. The public is invited. > >============================== >The RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: >Tens of millions of individuals... and counting. >http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ >