ABQ Times

The Office of the City Clerk in Albuquerque has announced a decrease in the backlog of requests under the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). The number of pending requests has dropped from approximately 1,500 in July to 1,142 by September 30th. This decline is attributed to the implementation of the City Clerk’s backlog reduction plan.

The plan focuses on four main areas: staffing, outreach to large requesters, process improvement, and records digitization. These strategies aim to address and reduce the number of outstanding records requests effectively. The first quarterly report details progress in each area.

"This reduction in the backlog shows that our focused efforts are paying off,” said City Clerk Ethan Watson. “Our team has worked hard to bring the numbers down, and we’re committed to continuing this progress by further streamlining our processes and handling requests efficiently. Thanks to the support of the Mayor and City Council, we've been able to add more staff to help drive this reduction."

The initiative was introduced following an increase in overdue requests, which exceeded 1,600 in April 2024. The City Clerk’s Office will keep monitoring and reporting on their efforts to ensure improvements align with public needs.