https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Subscribe to GovPro
    • Manage GovPro Subscription
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
acc.com

Administration


Image via Wikimedia Commons

Article

Report: 267 Ohio public entities were issued 321 citations in 2017 for violating public records laws

Report: 267 Ohio public entities were issued 321 citations in 2017 for violating public records laws

The Ohio Auditor of State recently released a report that shows that 261 Ohio public entities were cited for violating public records laws in 2017, which is a decrease from last year’s numbers.
  • Written by Jason Axelrod
  • 14th March 2018

The Ohio Auditor of State recently released a report that shows that 267 Ohio public entities were cited for violating public records laws in 2017, which is a decrease from last year’s numbers.

In early March, Dave Yost, the Ohio Auditor of State, issued a report on the number of public records-related citations among governments, Marion Online reports. The report was released to coincide with the beginning of National Sunshine Week, which annually celebrates freedom of public information.

The 321 citations for 267 Ohio public entities marks a decrease from the 414 citations issued to 357 public entities in 2016, Cleveland.com reports.

“I can understand a bookkeeping error — mistakes happen — but there’s no justification for violating the clear law of public records,” Yost said in a news release.

Ohio law states that public officials must receive three hours of public records training through the auditor or attorney general during their term, according to Cleveland.com. 

Villages (29 percent) and townships (27 percent) represented the public entities that were most cited for public records law violations, according to Marion Online. When governments are cited for violating public records law, no penalty is given or investigation made — the citations generally serve as warnings moving forward.

One city that received a citation for public records training was Girard, Ohio, The Vindicator reports. The citation said that numerous elected officials didn’t attend required public records training. But Mayor James Melfi said that he wouldn’t have attended the training even if he’d been aware of the requirement.

“As far as missing training, I didn’t even know about it. So that’s fine,” Melfi told The Vindicator. “Maybe they should use that training for those who may be breaking the law… Maybe we don’t need the training. Maybe I have other important things to do, like public services.”

In a news release, Yost was unapologetic about the report’s findings.

“Message to public officials: These are not your records," Yost said in a news release, per Cleveland.com. "These are public records, and it is the law. You need to do whatever it takes to remind yourself to comply. And there's training available to help you." 

 

_____________

To get connected and stay up-to-date with similar content from American City & County:
Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on YouTube

Tags: Administration News Smart Cities & Technology Article

Related


  • Backup and restore: a powerful data duo
    Over the past few years, ransomware attacks against state and local governments have grown both in frequency and cost. Baltimore; Albany, N.Y.; Lake City, Fla.; and New Orleans—these are just a handful of cities that have suffered a public ransomware attack. State and local IT leaders are looking to strengthen their data protection infrastructure. According […]
  • A street in Denver
    Denver anticipates autonomous vehicles with cross-agency, cross-sector collaborative planning
    Without early planning by regulators, autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to fail on their promises of safer and more convenient travel. Before and even during the pandemic, which has understandably shifted priorities of local and state officials, leaders in AV policy development are nonetheless thinking about and producing plans to deal with hundreds of […]
  • Take the wheel on a driverless future
    For the last five years, self-driving cars have slowly begun to enter the public consciousness. As is often the case with new technology, private sector resources and investment allow it to advance quickly beyond most governing bodies’ ability to regulate, let alone develop the technology in partnership. If that trend continues, it will be a […]
  • Preventing cloud data leaks: four key actions city and county government organizations can apply to mitigate risk
    City and county governments are wary of mounting security risks, particularly for data they store in the cloud. Ransomware, phishing attacks and other cybersecurity threats on local governments are hitting the news regularly—such as the recent DoppelPaymer ransomware and Ryuk malware attacks on Chatham County, Orange County and the City of Durham, all in North […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Policy experts debate the role of wireless in universal broadband
  • Grand Rapids offers free Wi-Fi access to the public in 10 parks
  • Revenue and zoning evolution prepares Seattle for an autonomous vehicle future
  • Kentucky county invests over $13 million in building innovative public fiber network

White papers


How-to Tips to Prepare for Your Summer Construction Projects

5th April 2021

How to Procure an eProcurement System that Generates More Value from Your Budget

1st April 2021

The Technology Solutions Vital to Clerk Productivity in Our Post-Pandemic Communities

18th March 2021
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

The Community Game Changer: Library Outsourcing dlvr.it/RxLd6r

9th April 2021
AmerCityCounty

Cooperative contracts can be an entryway for small and diverse companies to successfully compete for government sal… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

9th April 2021
AmerCityCounty

Electric slide: Mayors form collaborative organization to purchase electric vehicles for cities dlvr.it/RxGsHY

8th April 2021
AmerCityCounty

Celebrating the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic: Procurement professionals dlvr.it/RxGsG2

8th April 2021
AmerCityCounty

Expanding opportunities: Nebraska’s bold procurement Concierge Program dlvr.it/RxGpyr

8th April 2021
AmerCityCounty

All activities monitored: The 10 most surveilled major cities in the U.S. dlvr.it/RxCKzy

7th April 2021
AmerCityCounty

Denver anticipates autonomous vehicles with cross-agency, cross-sector collaborative planning dlvr.it/RxC1dP

7th April 2021
AmerCityCounty

Revenue and zoning evolution prepares Seattle for an autonomous vehicle future dlvr.it/RxBzyC

7th April 2021

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X