Some Oklahoma agencies slow to post basic information on Web

Most cities, counties and school districts in Oklahoma have a Web site, but many local government agencies have been slow to make even basic data and public information available on the Web, a survey found.

The survey, part of the Sunshine Week 2009 effort, found that just more than one-third of the county Web sites reviewed included a schedule of when the Board of Commissioners would meet or an agenda of meetings.

The survey included 16 Oklahoma counties, including those in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metropolitan areas and Muskogee County.

The survey was conducted by FOI Oklahoma Inc., and state news organizations. Surveyors reviewed various city, county and school Web sites to produce a snapshot of what information was provided online and how easy it was to find.

And while many local and state government bodies do post meeting dates and agendas, detailed records kept by a public body are rarely available via the Internet.

Categories of public records looked for on government Web sites included: meeting notices, meeting agendas, details of agenda items, meeting minutes, ordinances, budgets, audits, arrest reports, fire incident reports, municipal court dockets, school superintendent contracts, school district policies, county jail registers and real estate ownership records.

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