Published: October 13, 2008 11:07 pm            

Newspaper seeks opinion from AG

Ashland — The Independent has filed an appeal with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office about an open request filed with the Boyd County Fiscal Court last month for inmate health care expenditures.

The appeal was filed Monday after county officials failed to respond to the open records request dated Sept. 25, in which the newspaper requested documentation of all medical-related expenses paid by the county during the 2006, 2007 and 2008 fiscal years for inmates lodged at the Boyd County Detention Center.

The request was made after county officials refused to answer a reporter’s questions about the county’s expenditures on health-related costs at the jail while researching a story about a proposed contract between the county and Southern Health Partners for medical services at the jail. The reporter left a message with County Treasurer Billie Zellers requesting the information but Boyd County Judge-Executive William “Bud” Stevens returned the call later that day and said the figures could not be made available until Oct. 1.

The Open Records Request was sent via certified mail and an official receipt shows it was delivered to the Boyd County Courthouse Sept. 29. Under Kentucky Open Records laws, officials have to respond to a written request for information within three days.

As of Monday, The Independent had received no correspondence from the fiscal court either acknowledging the request or providing the information.

The open records request was sent to Stevens, Zellers, County Attorney Philip Hedrick and commissioners Marvin “Coach” Meredith, David Salisbury and Carl Tolliver.

When asked by a reporter Monday about the county’s failure to respond to the request, Hedrick said he had not seen the letter.

CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.

        

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