Web sites offer wealth of information

By MARK SCOTT

The Manhattan Mercury

The door to public records access via computer opened with the creation of the Information Network of Kansas in 1990.

Today, INK's Web page gets an estimated 16,000 hits a day, according to Michael Cook, its director of development.

"We've always had a steady increase," Cook said. "More people are getting Internet access. During the legislative session, we usually double our activity."

INK is divided into two operations: free, and by subscription, which is where the bulk of INK's business is conducted.

The free home page --- www.ink.org --- features information on Gov. Bill Graves, Kansas history, how to apply for employment with the state, and even how to apply for a state hunting and fishing license.

Also free of charge is a listing of public services, which includes a listing of cities on the Web, news releases from Attorney General Carla Stovall, access to the League of Kansas Municipalities and Kansas Association of Counties, and several of the state's larger counties, including Sedgwick and Johnson.

Premium services are available for an initial annual subscription of $75. Renewals are $60 a year. As of mid-October, INK had 3,500 subscribers.

"We get a lot of subscribers from the legal and insurance industry," Cook said.

The most often accessed documents are motor vehicle registration reports, sexual offender records and tax forms, according to Cook.

INK also charges for certain documents. For example, it costs $4.50 for a driver's license record; $4 for a title, registration and lien record; or $7.50 for a corporation certificate of good standing.

INK also charges a 25-cent transaction fee for such documents as legislative bills; district court records; Kansas statutes; and records from the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.

On the local level, 66 cities in Kansas have Web sites. The content of these pages ranges from basic information to the minutes of city commission meetings.

In Topeka, citizens can obtain some of their information on the workings of city government through the City of Topeka site, www.topeka.org on the Web.

There, in addition to the obligatory pictures and information about the mayor and city council members, are some documents useful in understanding how the city works.

A basic version of the city budget is available to show how much money goes to each department and program and where the money comes from.

The entire city code book is on-line. If, for example, you want to know what the city ordinances say about sidewalk maintenance, call up the code book, then use the word search feature of your browser to find references to "sidewalk" or whatever subject you are looking for.

Each week the agenda for the following week's agenda is printed, as are minutes of recent past meetings.

There also are areas to find copies of city news releases and lists of jobs available in city government. To find out if you live in an area covered by a neighborhood improvement association, go to the neighborhoods area. A map shows the boundaries of each NIA and describes the meeting times and places of the NIA.

Elsewhere in Shawnee County, anyone with a computer at home has access to a number of categories of court information on Shawnee County District Court's site, www.shawneecourt.org.

And more information is becoming available. In late December, citizens will be able to tap into the Shawnee County District Court's "public access computer" via a Netscape or Explorer browser when it goes online, said Sally S. Henry, director of court information systems.

The public can scan criminal, civil, traffic, domestic and probate cases, which will be laid out in a docket format. That means a case is outlined in chronological order as the case progresses. Court documents aren't printed.

Someone researching a case online can use a name search for the plaintiffs or the defendants to call up cases linked to that person. Public access computers have operated in courthouse hallways since 1992.

The court Web site includes electronic filing for limited actions cases; court forms that can be downloaded; an overview about the district court; and rules for attorneys and the public.

Also in late December, the district court's Web site will get a new front page.

Electronic filing of domestic filings, including citations, garnishments and income withholding orders are in the test phase, Henry said, and should be running in January.

Topeka Unified School District 501 patrons can check www.topeka.k12.ks.us on the Web. Some open records were posted on the site until about a month ago when the district removed part of them as a redesign. The redesigned site will go online by Jan. 1 and should include board minutes, policies and regulations, said Brad Stauffer, USD 501's communications coordinator.

Auburn-Washburn USD 437's site is www.aw437.k12.ks.us on the Web. Martin Weishaar, USD 437's communications coordinator, said he originally had planned to include open records on the Internet site but "didn't get into the habit." Weishaar said the district is updating the site and may include board minutes, meeting agendas and board policies in the future.

"It's a public document," Weishaar said. "The more people have access the better."

Shawnee Heights USD 450 can be found at www.snh450.k12.ks.us/ on the Web. The site has limited information and no public records. Shawnee Heights High School began offering a Web site design class this fall and administrators have discussed using students to update and expand the district site. An expanded site could include board minutes and agendas, said USD 450 superintendent Dr. Gary Reynolds.

"We'll do it someday but it's not a high priority right now," Reynolds said.

Seaman USD 345 is at www.usd345.com/~seaman on the Web. The site doesn't include open records.

Silver Lake USD 372 is in the process of planning a Web site that will probably go online during the spring semester, said superintendent Dr. Bob Albers. Albers said a committee is discussing what will be posted on the site and speculated district budgets would be among the information that is included.

"We're right in the middle of it," Albers said. "We haven't gotten to whether we'll put policies or negotiated agreements online."

"More people are getting Internet access. During the legislative session, we usually double our activity."

--- MICHAEL COOK,

INK's director of development

Copyright 1999
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.