Journal Record takes on Tulsa County Clerk

[JRDave]

The Journal Record takes issue this morning with Tulsa County Clerk Earlene Wilson charging what Managing Editor Ted Streuli in today’s column calls “exorbitant, unconscionable fees to view and print public records.” The Journal Record and other observers maintain that putting such limitations on how public records can be obtained and viewed is a violation of the Open Records Act. Sources in multiple stories on the matter agree with Streuli, including FOI Oklahoma president Joey Senat, Oklahoma Assessor Chief Deputy Larry Stein, Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel.

The clerk charges $1 per page to print a copy of a document – even if you print the public records on your own computer using your own paper and ink. Oklahoma County, Cleveland County, Logan County and Carter County do not charge such fees. Also, Internet users are required to pay a $30 monthly fee to access the database.

One of the reasons given for such fees is to recoup money spent on the database system. Over the last five years, Wilson and Yazel have spent close to $2 million researching and installing new, incompatible computer systems to manage their databases. Wilson said her office is working to correct system problems as they’re identified.

Another reason given for charging such fees is to protect against identity theft. Wilson and County Treasurer Dennis Semler see the county fees as one way to weed out poachers who might sift through the Web site for potential identity theft leads. Former University of Tulsa information technology professor Gavin M. Manes said such policies also protect data from being mapped by Google and others.

[Midtowner]

That's a pretty clear violation of the Open Records Act. I don't see why the JR doesn't have standing to sue if it's been paying the fee -- that part of the article struck me as odd. If the JR has spent $18,000 already, I think it may be time to talk to a lawyer.

Off the top of my head I can think of a number of adequate (and some quick) legal remedies.

[OKCMallen]

$1.00 per page is ludicrous.

[Stan Silliman]

I'm with the JR on this one. Open records are necessary especially in our legal requirements to get the information out. The JR may view this as a test case and it would impact their bottom line.

I may have a vested interest in that I am stockholder of Dolan Media and know that the owners of DM are wonderful people hailing from my hometown of Woodward, OK.

[OKCMallen]

They're not a business. It's our tax dollars (well, Tulsa County's anyway) that FUNDS all of that to begin with...these places aren't expected to run in the black.

[Midtowner]

They're not a business. It's our tax dollars (well, Tulsa County's anyway) that FUNDS all of that to begin with...these places aren't expected to run in the black.

Not to mention the fact that they're expected to follow the law. There's no exemption in the Open Records Act for county clerks.

[OKCMallen]

Not to mention the fact that they're expected to follow the law. There's no exemption in the Open Records Act for county clerks.

They're just being jackasses and I hope they get smacked for this one. Those are not "their" records. Those are "our" records.