Skip to content 
Smyrna, Georgia by the Numbers
56,160
Residents
200
Public Records Requests per Month
15
Minutes to Complete a Basic Records Request
Terri Graham serves as City Clerk for the City of Smyrna, Georgia, a growing suburban community located northwest of Atlanta. In 2014, Smyrna became the first client in the state of Georgia to adopt JustFOIA, making Terri a pioneer in modernizing public records management. She’s helped her agency turn what was once an overwhelming manual process into a streamlined, efficient system that better serves both city staff and citizens.
Daily Detours
In the state of Georgia, agencies typically have just three days to respond to public records requests.
Before implementing JustFOIA, Terri’s office struggled to meet this timeline with their fragmented, manual processes.
“We struggled with tracking. We needed a way to stay on top of the progress for each request. The amount of time we spent on open records requests was overwhelming, and our data was stored in an Excel file to track details – that set us up for failure,” Terri explains.
The lack of a centralized system created additional inefficiencies. “It was all done via emails, hard copies, sometimes available on our website, and we stored information in Excel.” This scattered approach made it nearly impossible to maintain consistency. Plus, they ended up with duplicate work when multiple people requested the same information.
Skipping the Busywork
JustFOIA eliminated redundant processes and streamlined workflows. “JustFOIA prevents duplicate requests too. If multiple people are looking for the same information, JustFOIA makes that more accessible because the data was processed already,” Terri notes.
The system’s user-friendly design encourages direct citizen engagement while maintaining proper tracking. “Now, we encourage people to go through our website; this way, everything is tracked from the very beginning. Otherwise, we will enter it into the system for the requester if they aren’t able to.”
Terri emphasizes how easy the platform is to use: “JustFOIA is user-friendly, and that’s what I tell everybody that’s searching for a solution. It’s so easy – look at the dashboard; it tells you what to do!
Beyond Public Records
The efficiency gains extend beyond general records requests. “We also use JustFOIA to process lien requests. The lien request process allows companies to request information on current property tax liens for potential buyers. It saves money in attorney fees. Before JustFOIA, the time to process requests took about an hour, and now it is down to approximately 15 minutes!”
Other departments using JustFOIA include:
- Police
- Fire
- Clerk of Courts and Court Services
- Community Development
- Finance
- Water, Public Works, and Engineering
Cutting the Risks
Beyond efficiency improvements, JustFOIA provides accountability features that protect both the city and requesters.
“One of the things that I love about JustFOIA is that it will track all communications and files that were used while processing public records. People will say that they didn’t receive emails sometimes, and we have proof that it was,” Terri explains. The comprehensive documentation trail helps resolve any disputes that come up.
Getting the Help You Need
In the 10+ years since Smyrna implemented JustFOIA, the system has come a long way.
“With every upgrade, the system keeps improving. I get happier every time there are updates made to the system! The milestones we accomplished from where we started to where we stand today is fantastic. The progression is outstanding.”
Plus, she’s been able to learn from other JustFOIA clients to help improve the way they use the system.
“The JustFOIA client focus group connected us with peers in other states with different laws. We learned best practices in a positive peer-to-peer environment,” she says.
Advice to Clerks
Drawing from her experience as Georgia’s first JustFOIA client, Terri actively encourages other clerks to make the transition. “Recently, I shared with another city clerk to do herself a favor and call JustFOIA. She asked why, and I continued to tell her, ‘because you are using spreadsheets and JustFOIA will make your life, and your citizens’ lives easier.'”
Terri acknowledges that the decision to change systems can feel daunting. But she emphasizes that the benefits far outweigh initial concerns. “The hardest part of the decision was overcoming the fear of where to start. We decided this fear was not going to hold us back. Of course, we found holes in our processes and little things along the way, but we worked through it – and now we love our new process.”
