A Northampton County resident urged the council to investigate a local policy he described as restricting public access to nonconfidential records and imposing per-page copying fees, and the county executive said the elections division plans to post nomination petitions online next year.

"The election division, the prothonotary, and possibly other offices in this government center have implemented a ban on photographing public records," Matthew Flower told the council during public comment, saying the policy requires members of the public to purchase paper copies at 25 cents per page and, in his view, conflicts with state public-access guidance.

Flower cited "Pennsylvania law," the unified judicial system's public access policy and determinations by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records, saying those authorities guarantee the public's right to duplicate nonconfidential records using personal devices where there is no disruption.

County Executive Lamont McClure responded during his report, saying, "next year, the elections division has a plan to put petitions online the same way we do finance reports," and that he would look into fees at the prothonotary's office.

Flower asked the council to investigate the policy as within the council's scope of authority; he emphasized his complaint was about the policy, not courthouse staff.

McClure told the council he would examine the prothonotary office fees and the elections division plan; he framed the online posting of petitions as the administration's response to concerns raised.

Council did not take a formal vote on the matter during the meeting; the matter was raised in public comment and in the executive's report, and the executive committed to follow up.