Emails for Officials Will Be Public Record

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Designated email addresses being issued to all citizens serving on Boards and Commissions

Move ensures greater transparency for all official government business

 LOUISVILLE – The city’s Metro Technology Services Department (MTS) is in the process of providing email addresses to all citizens serving on a board or commission for official government business, Mayor Greg Fischer announced today.

“This addresses concerns of board members using personal accounts for public business and will result in greater transparency for citizens,” Fischer said. “From the beginning, as stated in the Citizen Bill of Rights, creating an inclusive and transparent process is something we are committed to and will continue to improve.”

A recommendation to set up the new email system was made to Fischer after a review of internal communication policies and the boards and commissions email system was completed by the city’s technology and legal teams along with the Boards and Commissions director.

The city has approximately 100 boards and commissions with more than 800 mayoral appointees including business and economic development, land planning, parks and recreation, public health and public safety.

MTS will follow the same retention policy for board and commission members as it does with Metro employees.

Citizens serving on boards and commissions have been instructed to conduct official government business on the designated email, not personal emails, texts or cell phones.

Board and commission members from the following agencies will be issued email addresses that correspond to their agencies and those agencies will be responsible for retaining records according to Kentucky Open Records Law. For example, MSD will issue email addresses to their board members and retain those records.

Agencies include:  MSD, KentuckianaWorks, Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Louisville Regional Airport Authority, Louisville Water Company, TARC and suburban fire stations – Buechel, Eastwood, Fern Creek, Harrods Creek, Highview, Lake Dreamland, Lyndon, Middletown, Okolona, PRP, St. Matthews, Worthington, Jeffersontown and McMahan.

The process of issuing emails to all citizens serving will be completed this summer.