Police shed light on what info is available to the public

Today we're taking a look at information housed in Police Records office of the Lufkin Police Department. Answers were provided by Lt. David Young.

Joel Andrews/The Lufkin Daily News

A woman demonstrates a request for information from Lt. David Young at the Public Records window at the Lufkin Police Department.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

Police records staff collects and maintains all the police reports, arrest reports, accident reports and any other report generated by Lufkin Police officers. They also maintain information on registered sex offenders in Lufkin and provide information to the State of Texas for the annual Uniform Crime Report.

How does a person go about requesting the information?

A request for information should be in writing and be specific as to what record is being requested and whether the requestor wants a copy or wants to review the information.

How much does it cost?

Accident reports cost $6 per report as per state law. All other requests cost 10 cents per page for anything over 100 pages. An additional labor fee may be charged for large requests that take a substantial amount of research or collection time. Any request that is expected to cost more than $50 will prompt us to give an estimate of the final cost before the information is copied or gathered.

What information do you hold that the public doesn't have access to?

Reports on mental health commitments and reports that may cause someone undue embarrassment are private by law. Active criminal cases are not open except for the first page listing the victim, the nature and location of the crime.

Reports that do not result in a final conviction of a person are not open under state law. We sometimes get blanket requests for "all information you have on John Doe." These are not valid requests because the state law states arrest records are not open unless the requestor requests each one specifically by the type of charge and approximate date of the arrest. The exceptions to open records laws are mostly found in Chapter 552 or the Open Records Law.

County clerk details information available to public at courthouse

Today we're taking a look at information housed in the County Clerk's office at the Angelina County Courthouse. Answers were provided by Jo Ann Chastain, County Clerk.

Steven Alford/The Lufkin Daily News

Jo Ann Chastain, Angelina County Clerk, looks through a book of records at the county courthouse. The County Clerk keeps many records at the courthouse including: Land Records, Marriage Records, Probate Records, Civil Records, Criminal Records, Commissioners Court Records and Assumed Names.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

Land Records, Marriage Records, Probate Records, Civil Records, Criminal Records, Commissioners Court Records and Assumed Names.

How does a person go about requesting the information?

There are forms to fill out in the clerk's office for birth, death and marriage records. There are public terminals for searching Official Public Records. My deputies are available to show the public how to research open records.

How much does it cost?

The cost depends on what type of record a person is searching for. Birth records are $23; death records are $21 and marriage records are $20. All fees are set by the state of Texas and a portion of all fees goes to the state.

Copies of Official Public Records are $1 per page unless a certified copy is required. Certified copies are $1 per page and $5 for certification.

What information do you hold that the public doesn't have access to?

Birth and death records are available for purchase by the immediate family; discharge records are available also for immediate family only.

Appraisal District houses information about properties in Angelina County

Today we're taking a look at information housed at the Angelina County Appraisal District office. Answers were provided by Jerry Hogg, chief appraiser.

Brittony Lund/The Lufkin Daily News

Jerry Hogg is the chief appraiser at the Angelina County Appraisal District.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

Most of our records are open to the public and are available on our Internet site at www.angelinacad.org. The information contained in our database includes property descriptions, ownership information, appraisal information and maps. We also have a wide range of applications, forms and publications that are also available on our Web site.

How does a person go about requesting the information?

Routine information can be obtained very quickly by printing from our Internet site or coming to the office at 418 N. Second St. This would include property information cards and maps. Other items can be obtained by submitting the request in writing to ensure that we get exactly what has been requested and we can provide an estimate of the charges.

How much does it cost?

Most documents are readily accessible and would have little or no cost. Property records and plats of the owner's property are free. Non-owner records requested have a fee of 10 cents per standard page. That includes plats in black and white on a standard page. Larger color maps cost $5 for an 11-by-17. We make every effort to meet the requests of the public as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What information do you hold that the public doesn't have access to?

The only records restricted are those that are specified by the Property Tax Code or opinions of the attorney general. The restricted items are very few compared to the large amount of information that we have. The Property Tax Code does restrict certain information such as business renditions, names and address of certain law enforcement and public officials if requested, or information provided to the district under confidentiality such as sale price, purchase price or other business assets or property income.

Tax assessor's office houses vast array of records

Today we're taking a look at information housed at the county tax assessor's office. Answers were provided by Thelma "Midget" Sherman, county tax assessor.

File Photo

Thelma "Midget" Sherman, county tax assessor.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

The Angelina County Tax Office has many different functions:

First, we house all property tax information for all property owners in the county, which includes real, personal and minerals. We do the collections of all property taxes for all the entities inside the county.

Second, we have auto registration which consists of basically registration and transferring of all the vehicles owned in Angelina County. We do the collection of motor vehicle sales tax on the purchase of all the vehicles sold in Angelina County that will remain in Angelina County. We collect the title fees for the issuance of vehicle titles in the county. We now sell specialty license plates, which previously you had to request through Austin yourself. We issue temporary permits. We issue temporary and permanent disabled placards.

Third, liquor permits — We do the collection of the county and state filings as well as renewal fees and report to each.

Fourth, I am the voter registrar for the county, which means that we handle the registering and maintaining of the voter registration records for the county, as directed by the secretary of state's office. We print all poll lists needed for the various entities' elections in the county, as well as the county's (the county has 46 precincts).

Fifth, we also house and conduct all the county, state and federal elections held in the county. We own and house 162 iVotronic-electronic voting machines as well as 30 M-100 paper ballot electronic vote-counting machines. We maintain the machines as well as the election documents from not only the county elections but also for the various other entities in the county that rent our electronic equipment.

How does a person go about requesting the information?

For a person to obtain any record from the tax office someone would have to make a written request, which they would get the form from the tax office for those records.

For information which is public record in our tax department, we do have a terminal that someone could come in and search the records themselves.

How much does it cost?

As far as the cost, it depends on the type of record. Delinquent tax roll is $100 and tax certificates are $10, auto registration inquiry/verification is $2 and for most all election type requests it would depend on the request. Some of the requests for election information have stiffer guidelines and are monitored by the secretary of state's office (as far as how soon after the document is completed that it is available for the public to obtain).

What information do you hold that the public doesn't have access to?

Information that the public does not have access to is voter roll that has social security numbers on them (we have a roll that they do have access to without social security numbers) and all election night and early voting return information brought in by the election judges, the electronic voting machines' documentation, flash card information from the iVotronic machines, M-100 cards information from the paper ballot counting machines, the voted paper ballots, the PEBs (or the programmed electronic ballots), and/or any other early voting or election night return documentation, with the exception of the election night reports primarily printed to be handed out to the public and/or the media.

County judge discusses what records the public can access

Today we're looking at information housed at the county courthouse. Answers were provided by Wes Suiter, county judge.

Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin Daily News

County Judge Wes Suiter says transparency in local government should be natural. 'Pretty much everything we do is out in the open and it is better that way,' he said.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

In my office we only keep copies made from the original documents filed in the county clerk's office. I'll keep copies of contracts to quickly recall information just as a refresher for day-to-day business items.

If I were a citizen requesting an open record through the Freedom of Information Act I would want a copy of the original document, not a copy of a copy. If there is a record we have taken action on already then it is public record. Transparency in local government should be natural. I've never understood why people shy away from an open records request.

How does a person go about requesting the information?

Everything the county does is filed through the county clerk's office. A person would go straight to the clerk and put the request in writing. Even though we don't have original records in our office, we are here to help guide and direct people where they need to go for the answers.

How much does it cost?

The cost to get a record from the county clerk's office can vary depending on the amount of information requested and how difficult it is to access. If it is as simple as grabbing a record and making a copy usually the cost is nothing. If it takes several hours and hundreds of copies are needed there will be a minimal cost.

We're here to provide a service to the public but if it takes a lot of time to get the information we have to charge something to recover the cost to the city. A lot of county and city governments are trying to go to electronic systems to make it easier to pull records.

What information do you hold that the public doesn't have access to?

There is very little, if anything, the public can't access in the county clerk's office. The only time information isn't public record is when we are in the process of taking action on it.

For example we won't release information on a warrant that hasn't been served yet for safety reasons.

Economic development records are protected during the negotiation phase of bringing in a new business to the county usually at the request of the client. This is to prevent the company from being bombarded with inquiries.

Pretty much everything we do is out in the open and it is better that way.

Your right to know: County Auditor's office maintains financial records

Today we're taking a look at information housed at the Angelina County Auditor's Office. Answers were provided by Eddie Gray, county auditor.

File Photo

Eddie Gray, county auditor.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

My office maintains all financial records. That would include financial statements, cash receipts, payments to vendors, bond payments, fee office reports, copies of internal audits, etc. We also maintain the personnel and payroll records.

How does a person go about requesting the information?

A person should make an open records request in writing specifying the information requested.

How much does it cost?

Depending on the amount of documentation, we can charge 10 cents per page. If the request is for a large volume of documents, we can also charge a processing hourly rate.

What information do you hold that the public doesn't have access to?

Most of our records are open to the public. Some personnel records and audit work papers in process are not open to the public.

Record keeping at the Angelina County Sheriff's Office

The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office is located at 2311 E. Lufkin Ave. next door to the Angelina County Jail, which the ACSO operates. Answers were provided by Chief Deputy Jim Casper.

Photo from Angelina County Sheriff's Department

Angelina County Sheriff Kent Henson.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

Most records generated by the Sheriff's Department are considered "Open Records." Reports such as accident reports, offense reports, animal bite reports, etc. For exceptions to these see the final question below.

How does a person go about requesting the information and how much does it cost?

A person making an open records request should make the request in writing, stating exactly what information they are requesting. Copies of the records are $ .10 per page. If there are a large number of pages to be copied or the records are stored in another location the requestor is charged by the hour for the labor involved.

What information do you hold that the public doesn’t have access to?

Active investigations, cases that do not result in prosecution, information on juveniles and sexual assault victims and personal information such as Social Security numbers, telephone numbers, etc. are not subject to the Open Records Act.

Information from the Justice of the Peace

Angelina County Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Billy Ball’s office is housed in the county Law Enforcement Center at 2311 E. Lufkin Ave. Information for answers was provided by Justice Ball.

Photo from Angelina County Justice of the Peace Pct. 1

Judge Billy S. Ball.

What kind of records are available to the public in this office and what information do they generally contain?

Records available include: Justice and small claims courts civil cases; evictions; class C criminal cases, non-juvenile only; emergency protective orders; criminal complaints; search warrant complaints; autopsy reporters; civil writes and magistrations.

How does a person go about requesting the information and how much does it cost?

As provided by the Texas Administrative Code, there is a charge of $15 per hour for time to search, remove, box and transport files to the office for inspection that are in storage in separate buildings and filed numerically. Labor charge applies to the time required to review each file for non-disclosure information to be removed, redaction and copies made for inspection. There is an overheard charge in an amount prescribed by the code at 20 percent of the labor charge. Labor and overheard fees apply to replacing the files after inspection. There is a charge of 10 cents per page (over 50) for copies, including 10 cents for the front page, the back page and any partial page. Requestors are to pay all shipping and handling for requests for documents to be shipped or mailed. Transactions for credit card payments are charged to the requester.

There are selected times of availability to process request and inspection. Requesters will be provided estimated costs and court will proceed with request upon receipt of payment of the estimated cost.

What information do you hold that the public doesn’t have access to?

The court reserves the right of appeal to provide inspection and purchase of documents according to Rule 9 Texas Rules of Judicial Administration at Carl Reynolds, Administrative Director, Office of Court Administration, 205 W. 14th St., Suite 600, Austin, Texas, 78711-2066.

Requests known as “ongoing request” for future documents are respectfully declined. Only requests for existing documents are considered. The court does not have to create a document to comply with a request for it. Public information acts do not apply to the judiciary, but information is governed by rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Texas or other applicable law and rules. Judicial records covered by Rule 12.3 and 12.5 are not open, but all others are, including documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, film, recordings or other material regardless of form, characteristics or means of transmission.

Rule 12.5 exempts information such as home address and family information and other information confidential under other law, including home or personal telephone number, address, Social Security number or family members; and also exempts disclosure of any record confidential under a state or federal constitutional provision, statute or common law.

There is no public computer with access to court information, and the public information act does not give a right to use court computers, in order to protect the integrity of records and to prevent access to confidential information.

Rule 12.8 provides requests for information may be denied if the records custodian makes specific, non-conclusory findings that compliance with the request would substantially and unreasonably impede the routine operation of the court or judicial agency.