[James Martin, the Director of Information Systems for Kootenai County, has just informed us that Kootenai County’s Public Records [Request Form can now be filled in online and then saved and printed. Here is a link to the online fillable form. It requires Adobe [Reader Version 8. One thing users will notice is that as the type exceeds the spaces allowed for it, the font size scales down.
[For those of us who do quite a few public records requests, this is a very helpful feature that Kootenai County’s Information Systems [has added. Mr. Martin said more forms will soon be online fill-able.
[Thank you!
That’s good news! Also, I would like to share that the Supreme Court is now accepting public comment on rules and admendments that are drafted through judicial committees – but, it’s not online. You have to fax or mail. I have it here.
Comment by Stebbijo — February 18, 2011 @ 12:37 pm
Wow. OpenCdA doesn’t hand out those Good Job ribbons often.
Comment by Dan — February 18, 2011 @ 6:07 pm
Dan,
What impressed me was that when I contacted Mr. Martin via email at 7:42 a.m. on Thursday, February 17, he responded very courteously and informatively at 8:42 a.m. on the same day to tell me that they were “… currently in the process of creating ‘fill-inable’ PDF forms for all the documents on the website. It has taken longer than we had hoped but, as a result of your suggestion, we’ll make the Public Record request form the next form we work on converting.” Then today, at 11:29 a.m. Mr. Martin sent another email to me to tell me that it was done. He also explained they can easily add a digital signature if and when Idaho’s legislature requires public information requests to be signed.
It is no surprise that Mr. Martin and his team were working on this well before my suggestion, but it was a pleasant experience to get prompt and informative responses. Yes, I am going to do a thank-you/commendation letter to the Board of County Commissioners.
Then again, this only reinforces what we’ve said on OpenCdA.com before: The County and the City of Coeur d’Alene do have some outstanding employees who are committed to their duties and who are doing the very best they can to make their communities better.
Comment by Bill — February 18, 2011 @ 7:25 pm