Fire Companies are public agencies

Another win for open records advocates came from the Office of Open Records this week.

The office ruled that volunteer fire companies are public agencies subject to the state's new open records act.

The case came from a Morris Township, Tioga County, appeal. The township tried to argue that the records sought were not open because the volunteer fire company was a nonprofit agency that is not a state agency.

The office of open records rejected this argument, pointing to a new provision in the law that says those that perform an essential governmental function are subject to the open records act.