City clerk proposes a community engagement department and interim PRAs support as public-records requests surge

City Clerk (S4) told council the clerk’s office is handling expanded responsibilities — public records, planning-commission administration and outreach — and proposed forming a formal community engagement department to consolidate the city clerk role, marketing/outreach, recreation/events and emergency-management coordination.

The proposal would create staffing options (a hybrid full-time deputy or multiple part-time positions) to spread workload and improve continuity. S4 said she was seeking council feedback ahead of a fuller budget presentation at the May 5 workshop.

Public-records problem and interim steps: The clerk said public-records request (PRA) workload has increased notably — she cited 79 PRAs last year and 34 so far this year — and that the complexity of requests has grown (many requests include multiple discrete records). She asked council to consider interim PRA support while recruitment proceeds and suggested enterprise funds might cover water- and wastewater-record work to avoid adding to the general-fund burden.

Facility attendant and CPAC: In a related facilities discussion, staff outlined negotiations with CPAC to amend the contract and create a temporary facility-attendant position (under city supervision and limited hours) to manage AV and venue setup; that amendment would be drafted by the city attorney and return to council for approval.

Why it matters: Timely PRA compliance is a legal obligation (CPRA) and an operational burden; clerk staffing affects transparency and the city’s ability to support community events and manage facility rentals. Council members expressed interest in cost scenarios and asked staff to return concrete budget options at the upcoming workshop.

Representative quote: The city clerk (S4) said, “The public has a right to these records,” underscoring legal obligations and staffing limits.

Ending: Staff will return fiscal scenarios and position descriptions to enable an informed council vote at the budget workshop.