Editor’s Note: Sunshine Request makes no claim as to the veracity of any statements or information contained in any of the requests, or public records, we receive.
Other (indicate in message) Submitted: May 5, 2026 | Updated: May 6, 2026
(May 2026) Request for Polk County, NC Government: List of current employees and salaries. As of the present day.
Good evening Kellie, Sonya, Tommy, (Records Officer / Custodian(s) of these Records),
I was attempting to submit my request via your Polimorphic Records Request platform on your website. However, I see you're still requiring mandatory address and phone number fields to be filled out in order to complete the submission.
As I've mentioned before -- this type of info is not legally required in order for you to process a public records request. I’d like to suggest again that you amend your form to “require” only necessary fields.
I can’t submit my request to you in your preferred format. Therefore, I’m submitting it to you all directly, as you are the primary custodian(s) of these records, and by Law should now proceed to fulfill the request.
Please reply promptly to the following public records request, which I’m making in accordance with NC Public Records Law. https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bychapter/chapter_132.html
Please provide the names and salaries of all current Polk County, NC employees as of the present day [on the date the query is performed]. I consider the term “employee” to apply to any full or part time employees, staff, board or council member, commissioner, manager, elected official, etc. Please include the following:
A. First / Last name
B. Position / title / department
C. Date of hire
D. Salary [include hourly wage, hourly rate, or annual salary -- whichever payment structure is applicable to the employee]
Ideally, I’d like to receive this info in an Excel or other machine-readable format.
** I’m simply requesting an electronic copy of an electronic record, if one exists. I’m NOT asking for the opportunity to come in person to “inspect”, nor to obtain a printed copy of, this electronic record. I’m requesting explicitly that any responsive info be provided to me via the electronic medium / electronic format (in which the copy of this record already exists). If you are unable to fulfill any or all parts of this request, please specifically cite where a reason for denial is justified under NC Public Records Law. **
————————————
Please note that by submitting this request, I’m NOT agreeing to pay any potential fees or associated costs related to my request. If it isn’t possible to process the request without incurring fees, then please let me know the itemized potential cost and clear explanations of those charges upfront, and DO NOT proceed until I respond.
By Law I’m not required to provide a name or address to associate with a public records request, but in order to move things along I’d like to clarify that this request is being made by:
Sunshine Request
PO Box 17391
Asheville, NC 28816
The request has been sent solely by me and my email address [email protected] . If anyone other than that email address contacts you to pursue a similar request, it did not come from me. Please do not commingle or treat that as an alteration or cancellation of my request – I intend to continue to pursue my request.
Thank you for your assistance!
** Sunshine Request (www.sunshinerequest.com) makes no claim as to the veracity of any statements or information contained in any of the requests, or public records, we receive.
Status: Completed
Activity:
-
May 6, 2026 10:30 am
1 month ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Tommy Oakman <[email protected]>
cc: Marche Pittman <[email protected]>
date: May 6, 2026, 10:30 AM
subject: Re: Public records request. (May 2026) Request for Polk County, NC Government: List of current employees and salaries. As of the present day.Hi Tommy,
Thank you for providing the spreadsheet above, and thanks for your very prompt assistance!
I will now mark this request as “Completed” on our website.
~ The Sunshine Request Team
Status: Completed -
May 6, 2026 9:25 am
1 month ago
from: Tommy Oakman <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
cc: Marche Pittman <[email protected]>
date: May 6, 2026, 9:25 AM
subject: Re: Public records request. (May 2026) Request for Polk County, NC Government: List of current employees and salaries. As of the present day.Good Morning,
Please see the Polk County Government Employee Salary – 06May26 spreadsheet.
Thank you,
Tommy Oakman
Human Resources Director
Polk County Government
40 Courthouse St.
Columbus, NC 28722
828.894.3301 x224
Polk County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
Disclaimer: The content of this message and all attachments are subject to NC Public Record Law. According to the law, all information may be considered public record and subject to disclosure upon request to third parties without prior notification; if you are not the intended recipient of this message, contact the sender immediately and delete the message from your files. I appreciate your cooperation.
From: Kellie Cannon <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 8:46 AM
To: Danielle Moody <[email protected]>
Cc: Marche Pittman <[email protected]>; Tommy Oakman <[email protected]>; Sonya Ayers <[email protected]>
Subject: Fw: Public records request. (May 2026) Request for Polk County, NC Government: List of current employees and salaries. As of the present day.Danielle,
Can you please change the Public Records Request form to remove address as a required field? Please only mandate Name, Phone and Email.
Thank you
Respectfully,
Kellie Cannon, APIO
Public Information Officer
40 Courthouse Street Columbus, NC 28722
828-722-5276 Direct
828-817-4854 Cell
Follow Polk County on Social Media
www.facebook.com/
PolkCountyNorthCarolina Instagram: PolkCountyLocalGovernment
Disclaimer: The content of this message and all attachments are subject to NC Public Record Law. According to the law, all information may be considered public record and subject to disclosure upon request to third parties without prior notification; if you are not the intended recipient of this message, contact the sender immediately and delete the message from your files.
**Editor’s Note: Please see the 1 file referenced (“Public-Records-Request-Sunshine-Request-Polk-County-Employee-Salary-06May26.xlsx”) at top left in our Documents section.
Status: Response Received from Government -
May 5, 2026 5:58 pm
1 month ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: [email protected]
cc: [email protected], Tommy Oakman <[email protected]>
date: May 5, 2026, 5:58 PM
subject: Public records request. (May 2026) Request for Polk County, NC Government: List of current employees and salaries. As of the present day.Good evening Kellie, Sonya, Tommy, (Records Officer / Custodian(s) of these Records),
I was attempting to submit my request via your Polimorphic Records Request platform on your website. However, I see you’re still requiring mandatory address and phone number fields to be filled out in order to complete the submission.
As I’ve mentioned before — this type of info is not legally required in order for you to process a public records request. I’d like to suggest again that you amend your form to “require” only necessary fields.
I can’t submit my request to you in your preferred format. Therefore, I’m submitting it to you all directly, as you are the primary custodian(s) of these records, and by Law should now proceed to fulfill the request.
Please reply promptly to the following public records request, which I’m making in accordance with NC Public Records Law. https://www.ncleg.net/
enactedlegislation/statutes/ html/bychapter/chapter_132. html Please provide the names and salaries of all current Polk County, NC employees as of the present day [on the date the query is performed]. I consider the term “employee” to apply to any full or part time employees, staff, board or council member, commissioner, manager, elected official, etc. Please include the following:
A. First / Last name
B. Position / title / department
C. Date of hire
D. Salary [include hourly wage, hourly rate, or annual salary — whichever payment structure is applicable to the employee]Ideally, I’d like to receive this info in an Excel or other machine-readable format.
** I’m simply requesting an electronic copy of an electronic record, if one exists. I’m NOT asking for the opportunity to come in person to “inspect”, nor to obtain a printed copy of, this electronic record. I’m requesting explicitly that any responsive info be provided to me via the electronic medium / electronic format (in which the copy of this record already exists). If you are unable to fulfill any or all parts of this request, please specifically cite where a reason for denial is justified under NC Public Records Law. **
————————————
Please note that by submitting this request, I’m NOT agreeing to pay any potential fees or associated costs related to my request. If it isn’t possible to process the request without incurring fees, then please let me know the itemized potential cost and clear explanations of those charges upfront, and DO NOT proceed until I respond.
By Law I’m not required to provide a name or address to associate with a public records request, but in order to move things along I’d like to clarify that this request is being made by:
Sunshine Request
PO Box 17391
Asheville, NC 28816The request has been sent solely by me and my email address [email protected] . If anyone other than that email address contacts you to pursue a similar request, it did not come from me. Please do not commingle or treat that as an alteration or cancellation of my request – I intend to continue to pursue my request.
Thank you for your assistance!
** Sunshine Request (www.sunshinerequest.com) makes no claim as to the veracity of any statements or information contained in any of the requests, or public records, we receive.
Status: Sent to Government -
May 5, 2026 5:59 pm
1 month ago
Submitted to Sunshine Request
Status: Pending