Since former Chief Clerk Amy Wilson’s departure Jan. 4, Butler County’s fulfillment of Right to Know requests has been a disaster. It appears Commissioner Leslie Osche and gang want to discourage anyone from requesting relevant information.

Several examples of replies I’ve received from the former interim chief clerk, Gerald Patterson, and now the current chief clerk, Scott Andrejchak, on various requests:

- Document requested does not exist.

- Only one of the eight weekly time sheets requested exists. (Question: How was the hourly employee paid during the other seven weeks?)

- Must pay $1.75 before giving requested information. (County then unprofessionally mailed the information, torn and addressed with scribble, to the wrong town!)

- Paid for copies but told “payment check is missing” yet was found two weeks later on a desk at the courthouse.

- Latest request: I asked for a copy of name list of the 15-20 county employees who carry and use Butler County-paid credit cards, which the county already confirmed existed, and a copy of the county’s policy regulating use.

I got an e-mail saying he needed a 30-day extension before replying with the list of the card holders. Although I was given the policy, It read: “a timely response to the request for access cannot be accomplished due to bona fide staffing limitations” in reference to the list of card holders.

Huh? Osche and gang have increased taxes substantially this year, borrowed $15.5 million, approved borrowing another $10 million later this year, have kept hiring more employees, and refused to open and balance the 2016 budget — they’re too busy to mail me a one page RTK document?

Former chief clerk Amy Wilson handled every RTK request efficiently and professionally. But now, the process has fallen into an abyss.