From Sunshine Review
Bucks County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The county seat is Doylestown.
[edit] Evaluating Transparency of Bucks County Website
[edit] The good
- Budget information is given. [1]
- Meeting info is given, including agendas, minutes and full audio accounts. [2]
- Elected Officials are listed [3]
- Administrative Officials are listed [4]
- Building permit and zoning information are given. [5]
- Public records are accessible. [6]
- Audit report appears on county Web site.[citation needed]
[edit] The bad
- Contracts and Lobbying information are not mentioned
- Local tax information is partially given
[edit] Public Records
The county has appointed an Open Records Officer as a central point of contact for all record requests. The ORO is guided by the state's new Open Records Law that went into effect on January 1, 2009.
The county's 911 documentation policy that went into effect November 1, 2008, has come under fire from a media lawyer. Melissa Melewsky, an attorney for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association lists multiple problems with the policy, including "the policy’s unclear definition of 911 records to its restrictions regarding time response logs and the fees it sets". County spokepeople indicate that the policy is meant to get the county into compliance with the new Right to Know Law going into effect Jan. 1, 2009, but Melewsky believes that it will have the opposite effect, and suggests revision. [7]
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ↑ 2009 Bucks County Final budget
- ↑ 2009 Commissioners' Meetings
- ↑ Bucks County Elected Officials
- ↑ Bucks County Administrative Officials
- ↑ Bucks County Planning Commission
- ↑ Office of Open Records
- ↑ Bucks’ new 911 policy draws fire from lawyer, Philly Burbs.com, November 20, 2008
