Sep 3, 2008 By Amy Revak 2 min read

A plan to streamline the process for a member of the public to receive a record from the Fayette County courthouse is set for implementation soon. The Fayette County commissioners voted Tuesday to place on Thursday’s agenda a motion to create the Fayette County Records Department and adopt the records storage manual and space allotment.

Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink said the records department wouldn’t involve hiring any new personnel; it is merely giving a name to the process. She said the county is required by law to implement a plan to maintain its records.

As a part of the plan, each department has been given a designated space where its records will be stored.

Zimmerlink said in 2007, the county received a grant from the Pennsylvania Historic Museum Commission to archive the records of row offices and most departments did a good job of disposing of obsolete records and archiving them.

Zimmerlink said obtaining the archivist brought the county into compliance and cleaned up the space. As far as the commissioner’s office, Zimmerlink said now everything is under better control regarding the maintenance of records.

Each department has designated a staff person to handle records requests and a policy must be put in place. Zimmerlink said having a manual would streamline the process. She said the PHMC archivist who worked with the county row offices for six weeks spoke highly of Fayette County’s ability to archive its records.

Zimmerlink said the next step the county must undertake regarding records is to come into compliance with the Right to Know law, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2009.

In other agenda items, the commissioners voted to award a bid to Shemung Supply Co. of New York for $28,847 to purchase materials to repair the Fayette City Bridge at Brightwell Drive Road. Paul Nixon, head of the bridge department, said the materials should be delivered by Sept. 30.