Baraboo School District, Wisconsin
From Sunshine Review
The Baraboo School District is a school district in Wisconsin.
Contents |
[edit] Public Records
[edit] District policy
In response to multiple open records requests to the district from members of the Board, the Baraboo School Board implemented a new policy proscribing a method for board members to gain access to information. The new policy allows the District Administrator to determine whether complex requests from board members will be of high priority or not. The policy was implemented on January 12, 2009. [1]
This new policy is being tested by board member Ed Mortimer who requested information regarding spending by board members, a complicated request to answer, which the District Administrator is "not interpreting [the] request as one under the Wisconsin Public Records Law", but rather one that would fall under the purview of the new policy. Now Mortimer must wait for the Board to "include the request on its agenda and determine, in the context of other priorities, if and when the administration should respond." [2]
[edit] Transparency audit
The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council performed an audit of compliance with the Wisconsin Open Records Law in 2008. 3 in 10 of the requests submitted were found to be ignored or responded to in violation of state law.
The Baraboo School District performed well on the audit, quickly turning over meeting minutes and agenda. However, Kevin Vodak, Baraboo School Board president, has concerns about the rising amount of public records requests that the district is receiving, and is planning to revise the district's policy concerning access to public records. "I've seen the stack of open records (district business manager) Mr. Long has been presented with in the last year. We haven't seen that many in the last 25 years," Vodak said. [3]
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ↑ 161.1 Board Access to Information, School Board Policy
- ↑ School Board tussles over records, Baraboo News Republic, January 27, 2009
- ↑ Records requests met with mixed results, Baraboo News Republic, November 20, 2008
