Chris Dorsey, San Patricio County’s public information officer, described the county’s process for handling public information requests and told the Commissioners Court he follows guidance from the Texas Attorney General and the Texas Association of Counties.

“As a coordinator of public information, I will send it out to my agents or the people who actually, I believe, have that information,” Dorsey said. He emphasized the office provides governmental documents, not general information, and that the office reviews requested records for statutory confidentiality before release. He described a 10-business-day window to request an attorney general opinion when records may be confidential: “If I believe it's confidential, I have 10 business days to submit the request to the attorney general's office for their opinion.”

Commissioners asked whether any outstanding requests remained pending because of county delays. Dorsey said there were a “couple of outstanding requests” and that some requesters had been too vague, requiring clarification. He said he has met with frequent requesters to resolve issues and that, to his knowledge, no commissioners were currently delinquent in providing requested records to his office.

Resident Sonya Witherspoon, who identified herself as living in Precinct 3, told the court she has systematically reviewed meeting videos and submitted public information requests and complaints. She alleged delays and overcharging in records responses, and said her husband also filed complaints. “Between May 11 and 11/16/2024, there are 26 public information requests that the county still has not responded to,” she said, adding that she and others filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Open Records Division and met with Representative Todd Hunter.

Dorsey described technical difficulties and policy development around extracting text messages from phones and said the county procured software to assist the process; he said labor-hour estimates supplied by departments are used to calculate charges for document retrieval. “I think the amount is, I think, $17.5 an hour for labor…and I think it's 28.5 for IT,” he said when describing rates used to estimate charges.

Commissioners requested a regular summary report of public information activity. Dorsey said he could provide an update and that he had discussed public information meetings with media and offered county facilities to host outreach. The court directed staff to provide a status update on outstanding requests and to consider providing a simple monthly report summarizing requests completed and outstanding.

No formal action was taken during the discussion; commissioners requested follow-up briefings and status reporting from the public information office.