Auditors were instructed to request the following:
1. School Board: Select the largest school district in your county and request "copies of meeting agendas and minutes that show each occasion when the school board went into closed session in April, May and June 2008."
School District of Monroe: Times correspondent Marian Viney reports she was asked who she was and what she needed the information for. She provided her name, and said she was just interested in reviewing the minutes. Cindy Rupnow, administrative executive assistant, copied the minutes within 30 minutes. The agendas note when board members went into closed session.
School District of Darlington: Viney was asked for her name and reason for requesting the information. Minutes were copied within five minutes by Sheila Andrews. The agendas note when board members went into closed session.
2. County Sheriff's Office: Ask for a "jail booking log for the past 48 hours, or documents showing the names and tentative charges of individuals booked into the county jail in the past 48 hours."
Green County Sheriff's Department: Viney was asked for her name and what she needed the information for. She was asked to fill out an open records request form. The request later was fulfilled, and charges for the information were $5.64.
Lafayette County Sheriff's Department: After being asked her name and reason for wanting the information, Viney was provided with the information, which included no arrests and only a transfer from Iowa County.
3. City Police Department: Select the largest municipality in your county and ask for "documents, such as a list of police calls, that show when and why police were called to one given high school (provide them with the street address) between Jan. 1, 2008, and July 1, 2008."
Monroe Police Department: Viney was asked to provide her name and a reason for the request, then was required to fill out an open records request form. She was told the request would take some time to be fulfilled, and did not hear back from the department before the end of the audit, but did receive the information about a week later.
Darlington Police Department: Viney was asked for her name and reason for requesting the records. Police Chief Jason King promptly went to the computer and printed out a chart and description of all the police calls at the high school.
4. Township: Select a township in your county and request "documents showing total legal fees paid by the town for the last complete fiscal year."
Town of Monroe: After being asked for her name and reason for the request, Viney was immediately provided information that the township has not had any legal fees for at least two years.
Town of Darlington: Viney was asked who she was and why she wanted the information. Viney later received a phone message stating there had not been any legal fees paid during that period.
5. City Mayor: Select the largest city in your county and ask for "all e-mails sent by the chief municipal officer (the mayor or city administrator) on Sept. 2, 2008." Request for them to be provided electronically.
City of Monroe: After being asked who she was and why she was asking, Viney was asked to fill out an open records request form. An e-mail response from City Clerk Carol Stamm said, "I have examined the sent box and deleted box in Mayor (Ron) Marsh's computer. There are no records of e-mails sent by him on September 2, 2008."
City of Darlington: After being asked her name and reason for the request, Viney was told to write down her name and telephone number. She did not hear back from the city before the audit was completed but did receive the information requested about a week later.
1. School Board: Select the largest school district in your county and request "copies of meeting agendas and minutes that show each occasion when the school board went into closed session in April, May and June 2008."
School District of Monroe: Times correspondent Marian Viney reports she was asked who she was and what she needed the information for. She provided her name, and said she was just interested in reviewing the minutes. Cindy Rupnow, administrative executive assistant, copied the minutes within 30 minutes. The agendas note when board members went into closed session.
School District of Darlington: Viney was asked for her name and reason for requesting the information. Minutes were copied within five minutes by Sheila Andrews. The agendas note when board members went into closed session.
2. County Sheriff's Office: Ask for a "jail booking log for the past 48 hours, or documents showing the names and tentative charges of individuals booked into the county jail in the past 48 hours."
Green County Sheriff's Department: Viney was asked for her name and what she needed the information for. She was asked to fill out an open records request form. The request later was fulfilled, and charges for the information were $5.64.
Lafayette County Sheriff's Department: After being asked her name and reason for wanting the information, Viney was provided with the information, which included no arrests and only a transfer from Iowa County.
3. City Police Department: Select the largest municipality in your county and ask for "documents, such as a list of police calls, that show when and why police were called to one given high school (provide them with the street address) between Jan. 1, 2008, and July 1, 2008."
Monroe Police Department: Viney was asked to provide her name and a reason for the request, then was required to fill out an open records request form. She was told the request would take some time to be fulfilled, and did not hear back from the department before the end of the audit, but did receive the information about a week later.
Darlington Police Department: Viney was asked for her name and reason for requesting the records. Police Chief Jason King promptly went to the computer and printed out a chart and description of all the police calls at the high school.
4. Township: Select a township in your county and request "documents showing total legal fees paid by the town for the last complete fiscal year."
Town of Monroe: After being asked for her name and reason for the request, Viney was immediately provided information that the township has not had any legal fees for at least two years.
Town of Darlington: Viney was asked who she was and why she wanted the information. Viney later received a phone message stating there had not been any legal fees paid during that period.
5. City Mayor: Select the largest city in your county and ask for "all e-mails sent by the chief municipal officer (the mayor or city administrator) on Sept. 2, 2008." Request for them to be provided electronically.
City of Monroe: After being asked who she was and why she was asking, Viney was asked to fill out an open records request form. An e-mail response from City Clerk Carol Stamm said, "I have examined the sent box and deleted box in Mayor (Ron) Marsh's computer. There are no records of e-mails sent by him on September 2, 2008."
City of Darlington: After being asked her name and reason for the request, Viney was told to write down her name and telephone number. She did not hear back from the city before the audit was completed but did receive the information requested about a week later.