Fifth in an intermittent series.

Just one public records request in the city of Poulsbo so far this year took staff 6,460 hours at a cost of $8,084.

The request was from former city prosecutor Alexis Foster, who resigned eight months ago after 6 1/2 years on the job after a police “no-confidence vote.” In her request, she asked for all records provided to a reporter related to her employment as city prosecutor. She also asked for all records related to other government offices and herself, including job performance evaluations.

While hers was the most expensive, there were other costly ones, too, already this year, many involving police.

A request by Spencer Nathan took 2,880 hours and cost $3,758. His request asked for records of all communications between a number of officers and supervisors regarding a light-duty plan. The request also asked for information on light duty in general, on- and off-duty injuries, and records on a number of officers.

The third-highest costly records request came from Maribel Webber, a legal assistant. Her request took staff 780 hours and cost $778. She was one of very few who was charged anything in return—and that was just $8.10. She asked for crash history at various intersections, including citizen complaints, police comments, emails, studies done and city code requirements for owners to maintain their property to provide proper site distance.

Rhiannon K. Fernandez handles the public records requests for the city and Kelly Ziemann for the police. Personnel in other departments help as needed.

While the police don’t charge for requests, the city does once the cost reaches $1.50. That’s equal to 10 photocopies, but online delivery seldom reaches that threshold, Fernandez said, adding she plans to ask for another full-time person in the future.

Fernandez said the city received a $40,000 state grant a few years ago so was able to digitize all of its archives. Engineering and Planning received another $45,000 grant for their historical records. She said that, plus the online portal, has made the process much faster.

Fernandez said the city has received 347 records requests already this year, which if that pace keeps up would break the record of 710 in 2019. There were 679 last year, the second-highest.

Other costly requests so far this year, in terms of time and money for the city:

•Alexis Foster, 720 hours, $864. Asked for records related to police response to Poulsbo Middle School Feb. 1, 2 and/or 3. Also, for records of the school resource officers there.

•Lexis Nexis, 615 hours, $738. The company asked for accident photos and dash/body camera images from an incident.

•Pam Keeley, 600 hours, $720. All records of the police response to Poulsbo Middle School Feb 1, 2 and/or 3.

•Robert Floyd, 600 hours, $720. Asked for police records for those related to a court-ordered custody investigation.

•Jerry Savage, 435 hours, $461. Asked for police report and body cam video of a specific person from January 2015 to Jan. 20, 2023. The person was filmed Jan. 14, 2023, with an “It’s not okay to be gay” sign in Poulsbo.

•Gabbie Caudill, 420 hours, $504. Asked for documentation regarding police contact with a specific person.

•Nicholas Heath, 270 hours, $292. Asked for police reports on a specfic Poulsbo person from November 2022 to Feb. 15, 2023. Also, police body cam footage on Jan. 26, 2023.

Other city departments

The city worked on 55 public records requests the first four months of the year.

The Building Department had the most, with 21, followed by Planning with 18 and city clerk with 15. Finance had five, Engineering three, Public Works two, and with one each were Personnel, the Mayor, Housing and Code Enforcement.

Some of the frequent fliers were Paul Moseley with five requests, Carolyn Zimmers with four, and Charley Baldridge and Maribel Webber with three each.

Moseley was looking for information on public official Tom Rose, Records administrator Rhiannon Fernandez, Poulsbo Port Commissioner Mark Singer, and Port employees Eugene Madayag and Christopher Henry.

Zimmers wanted to know about Poulsbo Event & Recreation Center feasibility report on the event center focus and the money loss of tournament fields on the nine acres. Another earlier request said their website was not up to date, and plans had changed. Another Zimmers request asked for information on notices for PERC steering committee meetings, including meeting notes and public notices. The fourth sought details on the Olhava Master Plan, when the now-PERC part of it was supposed to be dedicated to soccer fields.

Baldridge was looking for building, engineering, civil and State Environmental Policy Act plans for a Poulsbo property.

Webber wanted to know about some Poulsbo intersections, their history of accidents, citizen complaints and information on sight distance, police comments and internal emails.

Other interesting requests:

•Two separate ones on police procedures for being involved in ballot information.

•Richard Holdren wanted to know about moisture readings in walls at a Poulsbo development.

•Ian Grissom, a forensic engineering investigator, was looking into motor vehicle collisions at intersections, including light sequencing.

•Alexis Foster wanted to know about city contracts with the county prosecutor’s and public defender’s offices.

•Property manager Sage Frisinger wanted to know where the shut-off valves were.

•Amy Allen wanted to know why trees on a property had white ribbons on them.