EDWARDSVILLE, OHIO- Public records requested under the Freedom of Information Act will soon be made more easily accessible to county residents, according to county officials in Madison (FOIA).
In his remarks, Chairman Kurt Prenzler said, “We’ve been investigating this for years and how we can better serve the public.”
GovQA/Granicus will receive $45,000 over the course of three years to provide software to process and manage FOIA requests and information from citizens and the media. This contract will be in place for three years, according to Prenzler.
“The county’s commitment to open, transparent, and cost-effective delivery to fulfill FOIA requests in accordance with Illinois law will be enhanced by this technology,” Prenzler said.
Tom Haine, the state’s attorney, said that as the volume of records requests grows and their complexity increases, the county decided on a solution that would work best for all parties involved.
“Good, accountable government requires transparency,” Haine opined. I’m pleased that the county has decided to take this action. In order to make the often complicated and time-consuming FOIA procedure more efficient, we need to upgrade our technology.
This will benefit both citizens’ interests and public resources in the long run if the process runs more smoothly.
GovQA’s Public Records Request Management software is a cloud-based system that can manage documents and other information while increasing transparency.
Residents will be able to track their Freedom of Information Act requests online, and the software will reduce the amount of paperwork and free up time for employees.
The software is also being used by other Illinois counties and municipalities.
According to Prenzler, the City of Belleville uses the software as an example for anyone curious.
Madison County understands and supports the public’s right to access public records, “Prenzler stated. In order to meet our customers’ needs, we believe this software will help us do so in a timely and transparent manner.
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