The public needs to keep its eye on the Port of Kennewick and the recent public records request for its travel records. Unfortunately, the Herald editorial board got it wrong in its Nov. 21 editorial, when it defended the port and its claim that the request was unreasonably burdensome.

With the port's recent experience of one of its commissioners being caught submitting over $1,100 of "questionable" travel expenses, attorney John Ziobro's request for records relating to the port's travel expenses is appropriate. It matters not who Mr. Ziobro represents in making such request. The records he is requesting must be made readily available and provided within a reasonable amount of time pursuant to state law. The port's response of needing two years and $60,000 to pull the records together is ludicrous, not to mention its stated need to hire a law firm to do the work.

Having worked for a public agency for more than 30 years, I am very familiar with public records laws and issues. Our agency would have responded to such a request within days using minimal staff. Either the port and its staff are incredibly inefficient or there are other motives in play.

I smell many rats with what's going on at the Port of Kennewick. Go get 'em Mr. Ziobro!

Al Mouncer, Richland

Editor's note: Our editorial called for Ziobro and port officials to discuss the attorney's request in an effort to narrow the focus to the documents he wants and reduce costs to the port district's taxpayers. It doesn't describe Ziobro's request as unreasonable. The editorial is available online at tinyurl.com/records-request.