In another unanimous vote the same day, the council exempted itself from Public Records Act legislation requiring that city departments index documents for public reference. Such an index was cited by Congressman Conlin as "very expensive and likely unreliable because departments will have to keep updating it from several different perspectives."
The legislation, Council Bill 116496, was accompanied by a unanimously passed substitute Bill 116476 mandating that city departments provide public access to records retention schedules -- used intradepartmentally to track documents -- instead.
Some city departments don't have retention schedules, the Mayor's Office and police department among them.
In a Monday press release, Seattle Community Council Federation leader Chris Leman said "helping the public get information isn't a burden; it's central to democracy. In this digital age, it's easier than ever to index, and in a way that enhances city operations.