# Records Requests & Management
Overcoming FOIA Paranoia
CivicPlus
August 21, 2025
10 min
Processing public records is a routine responsibility for clerks and other public servants. Within certain agencies, however, the mere mention of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) triggers a familiar response – fear, anxiety, and a creeping sense of dread.
What’s Driving FOIA Paranoia?
Here are just some of the factors that can make fulfilling public records overwhelming for public sector professionals.
The Volume of Requests Is Surging
Across the country, agencies are handling more FOIA requests than ever. At the federal level, 2024 saw a record number of requests. Unfulfilled requests also contributed to a record-breaking backlog. State and local governments are feeling similar strain, often with fewer resources to manage demand.
In New York, for example, public servants received more than 85,000 requests through the state’s OpenRecords Portal during 2024. That’s more than double the number of requests they received in 2018. The surge in requests meant that 16% of requests were still unfulfilled a year later.
Why the increase? Resident expectations have changed as awareness of their FOIA rights has increased. Digital transparency initiatives and online request portals make it easier than ever to file. At the same time, political and social tensions are driving higher scrutiny of government records at all levels.
Request volumes and resident demands are especially high during election seasons. Wake County, North Carolina saw its total requests increase sevenfold between the 2020 and 2022 elections. The county was forced to expand its budget and hire a new staff member just for processing incoming requests.
Complexity Is on the Rise, Too
Agencies aren’t just dealing with more requests than ever before. The requests they receive are growing more complex, too. Submissions often demand large quantities of data going back months or years. Complexity contributed to a federal FOIA request backlog exceeding 200,000 for the first time in 2022.
Many requests require collaboration between multiple departments or detailed redaction of sensitive information. This level of complexity turns nearly every FOIA request into a multi-step project. Without the right workflows, it’s often too much for an overworked team to handle.
Outdated and Manual Processes
Unfortunately, many public sector agencies are still trying to manage today’s public records requests with yesterday’s tools. They’re redacting documents manually, using spreadsheets to log requests, and relying on decentralized storage systems.
This collection of outdated solutions leads to consistent headaches. Requests fall through the cracks, staff members are stuck redoing work, and deadlines pass without notice. It’s worse than inefficient—it’s highly risky. When things go wrong, there’s often no audit trail to show what was done or by whom.
Burnout and Fatigue
While managing FOIA requests is an important responsibility, it’s just one of many tasks shouldered by public sector employees. As both the volume and complexity of requests increase, staff may struggle to balance competing priorities and maintain manageable workloads.
Over time, this strain can lead to declining morale and increased turnover. When experienced employees leave due to burnout, agencies risk losing critical institutional knowledge.
Case Study: Millburn Township, NJ Recovers from FOIA-Related Stress
The Challenge
In 2022, Millburn Township faced a familiar challenge: meeting a rising number of records requests with limited staff and resources. Public Information Officer, Kristina Sternesky, handled everything from website updates to social media to press releases. With accessibility, compliance, and engagement top of mind, the township needed smarter tools to meet residents’ needs.
The Solution
To modernize and streamline their operations, Millburn Township adopted a number of CivicPlus® solutions.
- A website redesign prioritized accessibility, intuitive navigation, and visual appeal. Features included user-friendly forms and social media integration.
- Social Media Archiving drove compliance with recordkeeping requirements by automatically storing all posts and comments.
- NextRequest was a game-changer for Millburn’s records processing workflows. Automating and organizing improved collaboration between departments and made it possible to comply with increasing volumes of complex requests.
Together, these tools created a seamless, centralized digital experience for residents and staff.
The Results
- 27% increase in monthly page views
- Faster, more compliant Open Public Records Act responses
- Reduced administrative workload
- Enhanced resident satisfaction
“Instead of manually scrolling through years of Facebook posts, I now have a searchable database ready to go. It’s a huge time-saver and a stress reliever.”
– Kristina Sternesky, Public Information Officer
4 Steps for Tackling Records Requests with Confidence
Here are four simple steps for taking your systems for processing public records from reactive to resilient.
1. Begin Streamlining Your FOIA Workflow
The first step in overcoming FOIA-related stress is building a clear, centralized workflow for managing public records requests. When a request comes in, your team should never wonder what comes next. Who owns the request? How are records collected? What’s the deadline for a response? How can they escalate questions and concerns?
Within many agencies, FOIA processing is disorganized and disorienting. A lack of structure contributes to bottlenecks, duplicated work, and missed deadlines—all of which fuel stress and can diminish the public trust.
Streamlining the process involved designing a repeatable, end-to-end system to keep things organized. This could mean implementing software to automate portions of the process or conducting an audit to identify areas for strategic improvement.
2. Introduce Checklists, Templates, and Tools
Standardization is one of the surest ways to reduce errors, confusion, and inefficiency. When everyone works from the same templates and checklists, requests move faster and your staff makes fewer mistakes. These tools not only save time and improve performance, but they also give your staff confidence that they’re always following best practices.
Start with checklists for request intake, review, and fulfilment to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Then, implement pre-written templates for common scenarios like requests for extension, denials, and fulfillment notices. Posting templates for frequently requested records can save both your team and the public plenty of time.
3. Execute a Mindset Shift
When public servants fear blame or backlash, they naturally become defensive and begin to dread fulfilling FOIA requests. This leads to delays, mistakes, and constant feelings of stress.
Shifting this mindset requires strong leaders who place an emphasis on transparency and consistently offer the necessary support. When teams are effectively trained, resourced, and supported, they feel more confident in their abilities and make fewer mistakes.
4. Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement
FOIA compliance isn’t a static process. Laws, technology, and public expectations all evolve over time. Adaptability is key for maintaining compliance and resilience in the long term.
Ensuring continuous improvement involves cataloging lessons learned, keeping track of changes to the law, tracking key metrics like average fulfillment time, and regularly seeking feedback from your staff.
Practices like these reinforce a healthy, productive internal culture. Staff members grow more engaged, responses are faster and more consistent, and your agency will earn a reputation for openness.
Gain Efficiencies and Peace of Mind with CivicPlus
Ready to revamp your records fulfillment process? CivicPlus® NextRequest empowers agencies to receive and release records efficiently through a modern centralized portal. Check it out for yourself with a self-guided demo.
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