A Delicate Balance between Knowledge and Power: Government Transparency and the Public's Right to Know*

Recommendations 7

• R1
  The city council should direct city staff to consider and report back by June 30, 2023, on the creation of a written PRA policy or procedures document for circulation to all relevant staff.
• R2
  The city council should direct city staff to consider performing a cost/benefit analysis and report back by September 1, 2023, on the purchase of commercially available public records request software.
• R3
  By June 30, 2023, the city council should consider directing city staff to place information about how to access public records on the home page of the city's official website.
• R4
  By June 30, 2023, the city council should direct city staff to review and consider adopting a records management practice analogous to the City of San Mateo's "Records Cleanup Day."
• R5
  By June 30, 2023, the city council should direct city staff to create, on the city clerk's page of its website, a submittable PRA request form. Contracting cities are Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, San Carlos, Woodside, and Portola Valley. 2021-22 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury
• R11
  Coleen Mackin Mayor City of Brisbane RICARDO ORTIZ, MAYOR The City of Burlingame MICHAEL BROWNRIGG, VICE MAYOR DONNA COLSON CITY HALL -- 501 PRIMROSE ROAD EMILY BEACH TEL: (650) 558-7201 BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA 94010-3997 ANN O'BRIEN KEIGHRAN www.burlingame.org October 3, 2022 The Honorable Amarra A. Lee Judge of the Superior Court c/o Jenarda Dubois Hall of Justice 400 County Center, 2nd Floor Redwood City, CA 94063-1655 Subject: City of Burlingame's response to Civil Grand Jury Report entitled "A Delicate Balance between Knowledge and Power: Government Transparency and the Public's Right to Know" Dear Judge Lee: After reviewing the Grand Jury entitled "A Delicate Balance between Knowledge and Power: Government Transparency and the Public's Right to Know," the following are the City of Burlingame's responses to the Grand Jury's recommendations: Recommendation R2 has been implemented. The City utilized Laserfiche forms in order to create its own unique public records request portal. This portal went live January 2021 and acts in the same manner as commercially available public records request software. The portal link can be found on the City's homepage under "Government" or under "Popular Links." Additionally, the portal link is included on each department's webpage. Staff is in the process of moving hard copies of records into the Laserfiche records management system. This allows staff to easily find records and more quickly answer public records request. Additionally, by creating the public portal through Laserfiche, once a records request is answered, it is automatically saved into the records management system. Therefore, it meets the State requirement of retaining public records requests for two years under Government Code Section 34090. Additionally, it saves staff time and allows staff to quickly sort through records requests. The Honorable Amarra A. Lee October 3, 2022 Recommendation R4 has been partially implemented. The City Clerk's Office meets regularly with the different departments to:
• R26-50
  60% 51-100 More than 100 Not Sure 10% 25% 2021-22 . Does your city mandate formal Public Records Act training for key employees? 20 responses YES 50% NO 50% 6. Does your city offer Public Records Act training for elected and appointed officials (i.e. advisory boards, commissions, committees)? YES NO NO 10 5