FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Public Information Office                        
County of El Paso, Texas                    
Thursday, October 1, 2009

Request of Information Protocol 

(El Paso, TX) Thursday, October 1, 2009 – As you may know the Public Information Office for El Paso County has changed.As of Monday, October 5, 2009 all members of the media and the general public must request information to individual departments and/or each elected official.
El Paso County Commissioners Court meets every Monday at 9:30 a.m. in the Commissioner Court Chambers located in the third floor of the county courthouse.
The agenda to be considered during the meeting, special meetings and minutes gets posted every Thursday afternoon in the Government main web page at http://www.epcounty.com/government.asp 
Although the county of El Paso has no formal policy for requesting information through the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) or Texas Open Records, any member of the public or the media are advised to request information via written letter to an elected official’s office or department.  

State guidelines are as follows: Section 552.201 of the Texas Government Code says the following:

(a)    The Chief administrative officer of a governmental agency is the officer for public information, except as provided by Subsection
(b).(b)    Each elected county officer is the officer for public information and the custodian, as defined by subsection 201.003, Local Government Code, of the information created or received by that county officer’s office.

Section 552.202 of the Texas Government Code states: 
Each department head is an agent of the officer for public information for the purposes of complying with this chapter [Public Information Act].
Thus, this means that the County Judge is the public information act officer for the County of El Paso, and each department head is an agent who can receive Public Information Act requests for their county department. 
Section 552.201(b), however, makes it clear that each elected officer is the public information act officer for his/her own office, and the County Judge is not someone who can receive and handle public information act requests for these elected offices. 
The following link, with the office of the Texas Attorney General, will provide you with tips to help you make a successful Public Information Act request.  http://www.oag.state.tx.us/open/requestors.shtml 

Following is a list of contacts for your information. 

(County employees e-mail extension is @epcounty.com) 

Office	Contact Person	Phone	E-mail	Issues
County Judge, Antony Cobos	Gustavo Rivas	(915)546-2098	Gurivas@epcounty.com	County Wide Policies
County Commissioners				Precinct Issues
Pct. 1 Anna Perez	Cindy Hernandez	(915)546-2014	Cihernandez@epcounty.com	East side
				Ethics Legislation, Sportspark, Internal Efficiencies and Grants Administration, Purchasing Procurement and PolicyMHMR Services andEl Paso Central Appraisal District
Pct. 2 Veronica Escobar	Celeste Varela	(915)546-2111	Cvarela@epcounty.com	Central Area
				Shared Services, Ascarate Park, Eco-tourism, University Medical Center and Economic Development
Pct.3 Willie Gandara Jr.	Dora Oaxaca	(915)546-2144	Doaxaca@epcounty.com	Lower Valley and East of the County
				Tornillo Guadalupe Intl. Port of Entry, Missions Corridor Revitalization Plan & Economic Development, Rural Parks & Quality of Life Partnerships, Colonia Program Funding, Water & Sewer Projects, Public Lighting Issues, Housing Projects & Funding, ARRA Funding for Broadband Connection and Road& Bridge Improvements
Pct. 4 Daniel R. Haggerty	Gerald McTernan	(915)546.2044	Gmcternan@epcounty.com	West and Northeast Communities
				BCMHC, Northeast and Northwest Annex, MHMR Services and County Wide Policies
Council of Judges Administration	Mike Izquierdo	(915)546.2143	Mizquierdo@epcounty.com	Courts Administration
District Attorney Office	Renee Railey	(915)546.2059	Rrailey@epcounty.com	Trials
Purchasing	Piti Vasquez	915) 546-2048 option #1	pvasquez@epcounty.com	Purchasing Agent
County Attorney Office	Elhiu Dominguez	(915)546.2016	Elhiu.dominguez@epcounty.com	Hot Checks, Environmental Crimes,
				Protective orders, etc
Tax Assessor Collector	Norma Favela	(915)546.2096	Nfavela@epcounty.com	Auto Registrations (VRAP),
				Hotel-Motel License/Liquor license
Domestic Relations Unit	James Fashing	(915)834.8200	Jfashing@epcounty.com	Parenting classes, Family Court Services, Child Support Collections
Elections	Javier Chacon	(915)546-2154	Jchacon@epcounty.com	Election dates, results,
				voter registration
General/Veterans Assistance	Michael Flores	(915)546-8150	Mflores@epcounty.com	Emergency assistance with food,
(VAGA)				bills, housing
Family and Community Services	Rosemary Neil	(915)546-8167	Rneil@epcounty.com	Nutrition Program, County Library,
				Economic Development,
				Rural Transit
Parks and Recreation	Rey Chavez	(915)772-5605	Rechavez@epcounty.com	Ascarate Park, Sportspark
				Golf Course
Agua Dulce Self Help Center	Rosemary Neil		Rneil@epcounty.com	Colonia Housing Program
				Tool Lending Program
ITD	Peter Cooper	(915)546.2041	pcooper@epcounty.com	Information Technology
Road and Bridge Department	Robert Rivera	(915)546.2015	rrivera@epcounty.com	Pavement Program
				Sand bags availability, county roads right of ways
Human Resources	Betsy Keller	(915)546.2218	bkeller@epcounty.com	Human Resources
Adult Probation (WTCSCD)	Stephen Enders	(915)546-8120	Senders@epcounty.com	Adult probation services /Community Services, Graffiti Wipe Out Program
County Auditor	Edward Dion	(915)546.2040	edion@epcounty.com	Financial Reports