Mount Holly manager proposes charges for records requests over four hours of staff time
No policy was adopted at the Oct. 26 work session; staff will bring a draft later
MOUNT HOLLY - City Manager Jonathan Blanton asked the Mount Holly City Council on Oct. 26 to consider charging for public records requests that take more than four hours of staff time, according to the city's recording of the council work session. No vote was taken.
Blanton outlined five ideas: treating several requests from one person within about 14 days as a single request; a special service charge, which state law G.S. 132-6.2 allows for extensive requests, after the first four hours; a written cost estimate before that work begins, so requesters can narrow it; no fixed response deadline; and a written policy applied the same way to everyone.
He said the city has received about 75 records requests since July, and some have been open six to eight weeks. "This is not about generating revenue," Blanton said.
Councilman Ivory Craig said "we can't do this for free." Councilman Jeff Meadows said four free hours "seems excessive to me." Another council member suggested a threshold closer to two hours and a clear method for estimates. Mayor David Moore said the item was mainly for information.
Blanton said staff will bring a formal policy and any fee-schedule changes to a later meeting; no date was set.
Source: City of Mount Holly City Council work session recording, Oct. 26, 2026 (video at the records item), read through the Citizen Portal transcript (transcript), credit Citizen Portal.