The scaredy-cat reporter and public records

- Excerpt -

I've been trying to get back into the game of reporting, and I thought I was starting in the shallowest and easiest water to maneuver, a request for public records.

I've had trouble getting access to minute meetings, deed transfers, and certified birth certificates in the past few weeks. The birth certificates were not for reporting, that was a personal request.

The excerpt posted is a page from the Texas Appraisal Districts Director’s Manual. It states that meeting minutes are to be available to the public upon request. The first time I requested minutes from the Fisher County Appraisal District was mid-March. I was given minutes from a December meeting, but not from the most recent one, which was in February. The next week I requested the February minutes, and they were given to me. After an April 10th meeting, I requested the minutes the next day, by email. This request was unanswered. I went to the office one week later and requested the minutes, again. I was told the minutes were not available and were not usually written up until the next meeting, but they could write them up for me. I was asked when I wanted them, I said Monday. So, tomorrow I shall see.

I requested a record of transfer of deeds for March at the county clerk's office last week when I went to the appraisal office. I was told that a list could not be printed, but I could look in the records, then I was told perhaps the records were at the appraisal office. The person who I talked to seemed unsure of what records were held at that office. I was able to find all the records at Texasfile.com.

The certified birth certificates were requested from the Nolan County clerk's office. I was told that I would have to get them from the county in which each of us were born. I ordered them online from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

 It takes every ounce of my courage to go in these offices and talk to people. I may not be cut out for this business.