Dear Local Government Partner:
 
The senate of commerce, Economic Opportunities, and Consumer Services recently distributed a survey related to a public records exemption for business records collected during certain eminent domain activities. (The survey was distributed on September 2 via the local government facsimile/FAXNET process of the Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations.) I would like to express my appreciation to those communities that have already responded, and I look forward to receiving responses from additional communities by the September 22 deadline.
 
The first question on the survey asks if your community receives business records through the eminent domain presuit negotiation process. Many of the communities that have responded to the survey checked "no," and, following the survey instructions, returned the survey without answering any of the remaining questions. Communities are apparently answering "no" to this question because, to date, they have not had experience with the eminent domain statute and thus have not received any business records.