Hearing set for public record request fees

COLFAX — The Whitman County Commissioners spoke with Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers concerning an increase in fees to obtain body camera footage during the Monday, Aug. 19 regular meeting.

Whitman County Commissioner Art Swannack clarified that it was a notice of hearing for making a resolution and asked Myers to explain.

“We spend a great deal of time filling public records requests at the Sheriff’s Office, and there is very little way to recoup any sort of cost associated with those,” said Myers.

Myers said body cameras require a lot of time and effort, so when people request certain parts of the footage some must be redacted due to various reasons, including minors and other protections.

Myers told commissioners filling the public records requests can take hours getting a video or a series of videos ready to be released.

“Only to be able to recoup the current established fee of either $2 for a DVD or $5 dollars for a USB drive,” Myers said, noting the new fee schedule proposed by the Sheriff’s Office is worked through the Prosecutor’s Office.

“We’ve had legal approval on that,” Myers said.

Commissioners moved and approved a notice of public hearing at 10:20 a.m. for Sept. 3, during which Myers will present on the fee once more.