Getting public information from public officials is not always an easy matter. To a large degree it depends on the cooperation one receives from those who have the information.

In a survey conducted by the Dispatch-News routine requests to government offices in neighboring counties were handled routinely. Requests to the Lexington County finance office were not.

Repeated requests to the Lexington County finance office were put off last week. Reporters making routine requests were told they had to get the information from finance director Larry Porth.

Frances Lee, an employee in the office, told reporters that Porth was too busy and that she would take a message. Calls each day for a week to Porth were not returned. She also instructed reporters to “go the library and look it up.’’

The information requested was the budget totals for the last 10 years, which was wanted to see how much the county has grown in that time.

County Administrator Art Brooks retrieved the requested information, after requests to the finance office were not answered. He said it took about 10 minutes to compile the data.

County council chairman Bruce Rucker said he did not approve of such information being withheld from the public.

“Those figures are public information and should be readily available,’’ Rucker said.

Councilman Smokey Davis expressed surprise that information was hard to get from the county offices.

“Our books are open to the public and to the media at any time. Our staff works for the people and everyone should be treated with courtesy, if they are not that merits our attention,’’ he said.

However, those figures were not readily available at the finance department office at the county office building. No one refused the information, but employees were unwilling to provide the data and they let reporters know they were too busy to be bothered.

Private citizens were treated the same way late last week.

Two private citizens were recruited to go to the finance office and request information.

One was told to go the library, but was given the information grudgingly after persisting.

The second person was given a book containing the entire budget for the past two years, but was not helped with finding the specific information that was requested.

Both people said they were treated with disrespect and that they were made to feel as if they were an irritation.

Another person who was sent to the library was helped to find the information there by library staff without a problem.

Second story starts here

Most counties in the state are in the process of putting together budgets for the coming year, and so the finance departments are busy. However, some counties have different attitudes than others when it comes to information requests at such a busy time.

Requests to neighboring counties’ finance offices were handled quiet differently than in Lexington County.

Richland County assistant finance officer Glen Beach faxed the requested information within 30 minutes of being asked.

“That is not a problem at all. We keep the budgets for several years on hand, it would just take a few minutes to look up,’’ he said. He said more detailed requests would take more time, but his staff would try to meet any request.

Beach said his office prefers items to be picked up personally, but he is willing to fax routine items that are easily looked up.

In Newberry County purchasing director Christina McCullough and finance director Debbie Cromer both said budget totals would be an easy request to fill.

Cromer said she often gets much more detailed requests, and those take some time to complete. She said she tries to met all requests for information which are a part of public record.

She added that if a lot of research is required, she asks that the request be made in writing and there may be a research fee if an employee is tied up for a long time.

Other counties had similar responses.

In Saluda County purchasing director Sandra Padgett was eager to be helpful.

“I can just pull that up and read it to you right now. I have budgets since the 70’s in my desk,’’ she said.

Eddie Nelson, purchasing agent in Fairfield County, said his office requires requests to be in writing, either in person or by fax, and requests are usually met the same day.

“Our budget totals are on file and readily available,’’ he said.

In Orangeburg County officials require requests to be made in writing.

“We are more comfortable getting people into the process and responding to people in a formal manner,’’ assistant administrator Bill Clark said.

He said a request for budget totals would be easy to do because his office is busy with the budget at the moment anyway.

Aiken County also likes to have formal written requests, but one can send a written request by fax.

They do charge for each copy and for time if an employee is tied up doing research for more than just a few minutes.

Council Clerk Susan Pate said she likes to have requests written “so we can back it up if we have to. It is a way we have of showing who we released information to,’’ she said.

Calhoun County also handles routine requests by writing, but they will answer simple questions over the telephone on a verbal request.

“It might take an hour or so, but it would not be a problem,’’ county administrator Kenneth Rickenbacker said.

The information is available at the Lexington County Library. At the library a staff member showed the person making the request where the material was and how to find it without a problem.