Santa Fe May Get Public Records Custodian

Santa Fe City Councilor Peter Ives has introduced a resolution calling for the creation of a public records custodian position in city government.

Ives announced the resolution at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. It comes as city officials face criticism over the release, or non-release, of certain public records, particularly “draft” documents.

Public records are currently handled by the City Clerk’s Office. But Ives said an employee should be “trained and dedicated to that job, given the extensive number of requests that come into the city.”

If the resolution is approved by the City Council, the public records custodian will work out of the City Attorney’s Office. Funding for the position will come from cash used for a now-vacant administrative position in the City Attorney’s Office.

At its last meeting, the Santa Fe City Council approved a resolution directing city staff to “effectively generate and finalize all public policy reports and public audits in a concise and timely manner.”