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1. Records available on County Website. Many records are available on the Kittitas <br />County website. Requesters are encouraged to view any documents available on the website <br />before submitting a records request. <br />2. Hours for Inspection of Records. Public records are available for inspection and <br />copying during the County's normal business hours and may be viewed at the County <br />agency holding such records. <br />3. Records Index. <br />a. General County Records Index. No general County records index exists. The <br />Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners finds that maintaining a general index <br />is unduly burdensome and would interfere with agency operations for the County and <br />its agencies. Kittitas County employees generate hundreds of records on a daily basis <br />that include final opinions and orders made in the adjudication of cases, statements of <br />policy, interpretations of policy, administrative manuals, instructions to staff that affect <br />members of the public, planning policies and goals, interim and final planning <br />decisions, factual staff reports and studies, factual consultant's reports and studies, <br />scientific reports and studies, factual information derived from tests, studies, reports, or <br />surveys, and correspondence and materials referred to therein relating to regulatory, <br />supervisory, or enforcement responsibilities. Virtually every County agency would be <br />required to devote at least one full-time employee exclusively to the task of collecting, <br />reading, categorizing, indexing, and maintaining a current index of such records. In <br />addition, the time required by other employees to ensure that records are forwarded to <br />the designated employees for indexing and communicating with the designated <br />employee regarding the purposes of the records would be substantial. Due to the lack of <br />available resources to devote to such an endeavor, creating an index would be unduly <br />burdensome and would unduly interfere with agency operations. <br />b. County Agencies Records Index. Any indexes County agencies have created for <br />departmental use must be provided. <br />4. Protection of Records. The County will take reasonable steps to protect records from <br />damage and disorganization. A requester shall not take original records from County offices. <br />5. Backup and security copies. <br />a. In order to prevent excessive interference with essential functions of the County, <br />the County shall not search backup or security systems for copies of public records <br />when the originals of such records have been identified, located and are available for <br />inspection and/or copying. <br />b. Access to public records does not include access to County computer systems or <br />terminals except for those terminals, if any, which may be specifically designated for <br />public use. (Ord. 2017-__, 2017). <br />2.55.040 Making a Request for Public Records. <br />1. Persons wishing to inspect or obtain copies of public records of any County agency <br />should make the request in writing using the County's standard request form and deliver it <br />by U.S. mail, fax, email, or in person. The requester can also fill one out at the applicable <br />County agency. The form shall be made available at each County agency and on-line at the <br />County's website. The request should be addressed to the public records officer of the <br />applicable County agency. The public records officer will document any requests received <br />verbally during business hours. Any verbal requester will receive a copy of this County