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<br />2.55.010 Authority and Purpose. <br />1. Chapter 42.56 RCW, the Public Records Act ("PRA"), requires Kittitas County to make <br />available for inspection and copying nonexempt "public records" in accordance with <br />published rules. The act defines "public records" as any writing containing information <br />relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or <br />proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by Kittitas County. <br />2. The purpose of the act is to: <br />a. provide the public full access to identifiable records concerning the conduct of <br />government, yet remaining mindful of individuals' privacy rights; <br />b. protect public records from damage or disorganization; <br />c. attempt to prevent excessive interference with essential governmental functions. <br />3. The purpose of this ordinance is to establish procedures and inform the public as to how <br />Kittitas County ("County") will give assistance in providing full access to public records. <br />These rules incorporate best practices for compliance with the act and are based upon the <br />Model Rules of the Washington State Attorney General. <br />4. All County departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, committees, commissions and <br />officers will follow these procedures. (Ord. 2017-___, 2017). <br />2.55.020 Agency Description - Contact Information - Public Records Officer. <br />1. As a political subdivision of the State of Washington, the County is subject to the act. <br />The County offices, departments, bureaus, boards, committees, commissions, elected <br />officials, and other agencies of the County are agencies subject to the act. For the purpose of <br />this ordinance, the term "County" includes any applicable County agency. The term "County <br />agency" refers to and includes all County Offices, Departments, and Boards and <br />Commissions. Any person seeking access to public records or assistance with making a <br />public records request of the County, shall contact the public records officer of the <br />applicable County agency. Each County agency is independent for the purposes of <br />complying with and responding to requests pursuant to the PRA. For example, when <br />seeking records from the Kittitas County Assessor's Office, the requestor would contact the <br />public records officer or the officer's designee at the Assessor's office. Records requests <br />directed to any board or commission shall be made to the Office or Department of which <br />that board or commission is a component. Court files and other records at the judiciary may <br />not be subject to the Public Records Act or to this Ordinance, at least to the extent set forth <br />in Nast v. Michels, 107 Wn.2d 300 (1986) and Spokane & Eastern Lawyer v. Tompkins, <br />136 Wn.App. 616 (2007), and disclosure of such records may be subject to the common law <br />and to applicable court rules, specifically GR 31 and GR 31.1, and orders. Therefore, this <br />ordinance does not address access to court records. <br />2. A list of addresses, telephone and fax numbers of public records officers for agencies of <br />Kittitas County are posted on the County's website. <br />3. The applicable public records officer or designee will oversee compliance with the act <br />and facilitate identification of records which are available for disclosure. The term <br />"designee" is included in the term "public records officer" and herein incorporated by <br />reference for the purpose of this ordinance. (Ord. 2017-__, 2017). <br />2.55.030 Availability of Public Records.