New York Government Reduced Public Records Access Time By 44% With GLSS
New York
Government
Operations
44%
- The problem: A government agency in New York was taking over six business days to respond to public records requests, far beyond their policy goal of five. These delays caused frustration for residents and increased stress on the team.
- The result? With support from GLSS’s Green Belt Training & Certification, the team revamped their approach and cut response time by 44%, reducing the wait to under four business days—all while keeping service quality high.
In government, making public records available quickly isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for transparency, trust, and compliance. Journalists, residents, and businesses rely on timely access to make informed decisions and hold institutions accountable. But when that process slows down, people notice—and trust starts to fade.
In this case, the city’s average turnaround time for Public Records Access (PRA) requests had reached six business days, well above what their policy promised. That delay led to complaints from residents, pressure from leadership, and frustration among the staff. The team needed a better way to meet expectations, without cutting corners.
Beyond the delays, the deeper issue was the erosion of public trust. The city recognized that improving the process wasn’t just about speed—it was about fairness and accountability. Guided by the principles of Ethical Efficiency™, the team aimed to deliver timely service while ensuring that access to public records remained transparent, equitable, and respectful of every resident’s right to information.
To take on the challenge, the city turned to GLSS Green Belt Training & Certification, a proven program that offers hands-on training and a clear path to process improvement. With GLSS’s practical tools and structured guidance, the team set out to improve performance quickly and confidently.
As part of their training, the team analyzed the full PRA process to understand why things were taking so long. A few common issues quickly came to light:
- The request form wasn’t user-friendly, which made it tough for residents to provide complete, clear information.
- Many of the requested records weren’t easy to access, so staff spent extra time tracking them down.
- There was no standard way to process requests—everyone had their own method, causing delays.
- Too many people were involved in routing the requests, which added confusion and slowed everything down.
- The employees handling PRA requests also had other responsibilities, which created regular bottlenecks.
These issues weren’t just slowing down the process—they were making it hard for staff to stay on top of their work and serve the public effectively.
Armed with insights from GLSS Training, the team created a few simple but high-impact solutions:
- Updated Request Form: They redesigned the form with clear instructions, so residents could submit more complete requests from the start.
- Improved Staffing Support: They reassigned internal staff to help move requests through the process more smoothly.
- Requested Additional Help: A proposal was submitted to hire more staff dedicated to public records, reducing the burden on the current team.
With these changes, the process became more organized, more consistent, and much easier to manage day-to-day.
The improvements made a noticeable difference. Average access time dropped from 6.1 days to 3.9—a 44% improvement.
- Requests were handled faster and more accurately
- Staff felt more in control of their workload
- Residents experienced quicker, more reliable service
- The city moved much closer to its policy goal of five days
Best of all, the process became more sustainable. With clear forms, better workflows, and a focus on teamwork, the team could keep the momentum going long after the project wrapped up.
with GLSS
By choosing GLSS Green Belt Training & Certification, the city gained more than just a set of tools—they gained a clear, confident path to better service. GLSS’s innovative training approach helped the team move faster, stay focused, and create real, lasting change.
This project showed how Ethical Efficiency™ can help government agencies create solutions that are both fast and fair. The improvements didn’t just streamline operations—they honored the city’s responsibility to its community by making access more reliable and respectful for everyone. With these changes, the team upheld the public’s right to timely information while reducing strain on staff—a win for both service and sustainability.
This successful project positioned the city to better meet public needs, reduce delays, and respond to future challenges with a smarter, more efficient process. Thanks to the power of structured improvement, the agency is now delivering on its promise of transparency and responsiveness faster than ever before.
*We value our clients’ confidentiality. While we’ve changed their names, the results are real.
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