The Board of County Commissioners hereby finds the following.
(A) It is in the best interests of the county and the citizens thereof, and essential for the administration of county government, to maintain and preserve accurate governmental records; to provide ready access to records which are defined by law as open to the public; to maintain the security of records which are defined by law as non-public; and to ensure the preservation of vital and historically valuable records.
(B) The records of the county government agencies are a resource containing information which:
(1) Allows government programs to function;
(2) Provides officials with a basis for making decisions and ensuring continuity with past operations; and
(3) Permits citizens to research and document matters of personal and community importance; this resource must be systematically and efficiently managed.
(C) It is the policy of the county that all governmental records, which are defined by applicable state statute and case law as public records, shall be made available to citizens within a reasonable time after request and at a reasonable cost as set forth in this subchapter.
(D) The county recognizes public policy interest in allowing the government to restrict access to certain records, as specified in the Government Records Access and Management Act and this subchapter, for the public good.
(Ord. 1995-1, passed 1-9-1995)