Independence Township officials will attempt to develop a “sensitive materials” policy that does not violate the Freedom of Information Act.
Trustee Daniel Travis has raised the issue of whether township officials might inadvertently contribute to potential “identity theft.” He became concerned that trustees have received documents such as liquor license applications with information such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, home telephone numbers and bank information.
While it is standard procedure for trustees to review such documents, there is no standard procedure for handling such documents after the issues are decided.
“Oft times these things end up in the wastebasket,” Travis said at the township board’s Tuesday, March 18 meeting. “There isn’t a consistent way to deal with this issue.”
Travis asked township attorney Steve Joppich for advice in the matter, and suggested that the township clerk’s office mark such documents as “sensitive material” and ask for their return so the clerk’s office can shred them when no longer needed.
A master copy of such documents should always be on file in the clerk’s office, Travis said.
“It’s not to deny any freedom of information requirement, but the idea is that we don’t create a liable situation,” he said.
Joppich said there are legitimate FOIA exemptions for personal information such as Social Security numbers, and concurred that the clerk’s office is the best place to handle such matters.
“It’s fine with me,” Clerk Joan McCrary said. “We have to keep the copies anyway.”
McCrary did ask about the criteria for “sensitive information,” however, wondering if there would be specific guidelines or merely a “judgement call” system.
The answer to that question did not come easily, and Supervisor Dale Stuart said he and McCrary would attempt to answer that question before bringing a policy proposal to the board.