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: October 22, 2025 | Updated: November 4, 2025
(October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.
Good afternoon Dillon, Kristian, Shannon, (Records Officer / Custodian(s) of these Records),
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 Haywood County, NC employees who were employed as of July 01, 2025. This request is not specific to "current employees" who happen to have been working since July 01. I'm looking for a list of all people employed on July 01, even if they’re no longer employed. Please include the following:
1) Employee first / last name
2) Date of hire
3) Position / Title / Department
4) Salary [including hourly wage, hourly rate, or annual salary -- whichever payment structure is applicable to the employee]
If for some reason it isn’t possible to query the data in the manner requested (during a specific date in the past), then please explain this reasoning. In that case, it will be sufficient if you provide the data “as of the present day” [on the date the query is performed].
Ideally, I’d like to receive the responsive records in an Excel, or other machine-readable format. If any / all of this info is already publicly available online, please provide a link to where it can be accessed.
** 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
Documents:
Activity:
-
November 4, 2025 3:35 pm
7 months ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
date: Nov 4, 2025, 3:35 PM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.Hi Dillon,
Thank you for providing the PDF above.
I reviewed the file, and will now mark this request as “Completed” on our website.
Have a great afternoon!
~ The Sunshine Request Team
Status: Completed -
November 4, 2025 11:03 am
7 months ago
from: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
date: Nov 4, 2025, 11:03 AM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.All the best,
All the best,
E. dillon.huffman@
haywoodcountync.gov C. 828-246-2950
Internal Extension: 2736
Haywood County has a podcast! Listen here: Smoky Mountain Echo
Sign up for Haywood Alerts.
Follow Haywood County on social media!
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” –Dolly Parton
Please be advised that this email and its contents may be subject to public records laws and could be disclosed to the public, media, or third parties as required by law.
**Editor’s Note: There was no message in the body of Dillon’s email, only a PDF file attached. Please see the 1 file referenced (“Sunshine-Request-1-1.pdf”) at top left in our Documents section.
Status: Response Received from Government -
October 28, 2025 11:13 am
7 months ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
date: Oct 28, 2025, 11:13 AM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.Hi Dillon,
Thanks for your reply.
I do understand how there could be confusion with the way the request was written.
To further clarity –
I’m asking for basic salary data for all employees as of July 01. If it’s not possible to query the data from a specific date in the past, please explain this.
In that case, I would instead like to request current salary data for all employees working “as of the present day” (on the day you run the query).
I’ll check back in a few days if I don’t hear anything else.
Thank you for your help!
Status: Clarification Provided -
October 28, 2025 9:00 am
7 months ago
from: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
date: Oct 28, 2025, 9:00 AM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.I think the issue might be our attorneys interpretation of how your request is written. Let me see what we can pull for you.
All the best,
E. dillon.huffman@
haywoodcountync.gov C. 828-246-2950
Internal Extension: 2736
Haywood County has a podcast! Listen here: Smoky Mountain Echo
Sign up for Haywood Alerts.
Follow Haywood County on social media!
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” –Dolly Parton
Please be advised that this email and its contents may be subject to public records laws and could be disclosed to the public, media, or third parties as required by law.
Status: Response Received from Government -
October 27, 2025 11:02 am
7 months ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
cc: publicrecordsrequest <[email protected]>, “Kristian B. Owen” <[email protected]>, [email protected]
date: Oct 27, 2025, 11:02 AM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.Hi Dillon,
Basic salary data is simple to provide, commonly produced, and widely considered a matter of public record as part of the public personnel file for employees. Most entities produce this data in 1 day or 1 week.
Haywood County has produced this same salary data for me via records requests before — as well as, for the Sheriff’s department in another instance. Am I to understand your position is that the County can no longer produce basic salary data for current employees on request? Or, perhaps, you’re saying you cannot produce it in an Excel or other machine-readable format?
You have not been asked to create a record that does not exist simply because you’ll have to generate a report to produce that data. The Law clearly allows me to request records in whatever format you’re capable of producing them. It’s ideal if that would be as a CSV, Excel, or other machine-readable format. However, I’ll take that data in whatever form you’re able to give it to me electronically (as it’s an electronic record).
Please provide the salary data requested, for current employees “as of the present day” (date the query is performed). If you chose to further delay or deny this valid request, please specify where its denial is justified by Law, and why specifically the County cannot produce that data.
Thank you.
Status: Clarification Requested -
October 27, 2025 10:32 am
7 months ago
from: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
date: Oct 27, 2025, 10:32 AM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.The requested record does not exist in the manner you requested. This concludes the county’s response to your request.
All the best,
E. dillon.huffman@
haywoodcountync.gov C. 828-246-2950
Internal Extension: 2736
Haywood County has a podcast! Listen here: Smoky Mountain Echo
Sign up for Haywood Alerts.
Follow Haywood County on social media!
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” –Dolly Parton
Please be advised that this email and its contents may be subject to public records laws and could be disclosed to the public, media, or third parties as required by law.
Status: Response Received from Government -
October 23, 2025 3:04 pm
7 months ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
cc: publicrecordsrequest <[email protected]>
date: Oct 23, 2025, 3:04 PM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.Hi Dillon,
Thank you for your messages.
Per § 132-6.2(e). I have not asked you to create or compile a record that does not exist. When I submitted my request, I also stated that “If for some reason it isn’t possible to query the data in the manner requested (during a specific date in the past), then please explain this reasoning. In that case, it will be sufficient if you provide the data “as of the present day” [on the date the query is performed].”
I’m confident that these current records (Name, Title, Hire Date, Salary) are already kept in an electronic medium, and that you have access to that data. Please proceed to provide the requested salary data “as of the present day”.
Thank you for your help!
~ The Sunshine Request Team
Status: Clarification Provided -
October 23, 2025 1:36 pm
7 months ago
from: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>, publicrecordsrequest <[email protected]>
date: Oct 23, 2025, 1:36 PM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.The requested record does not exist. This concludes the county’s response to your request.
NC Gen. Stat. § 132-6.2. Provisions for copies of public records; fees.
. . . .
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a public agency to respond to a request for a copy of a public record by creating or compiling a record that does not exist.
All the best,
E. dillon.huffman@
haywoodcountync.gov C. 828-246-2950
Internal Extension: 2736
Haywood County has a podcast! Listen here: Smoky Mountain Echo
Sign up for Haywood Alerts.
Follow Haywood County on social media!
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” –Dolly Parton
Please be advised that this email and its contents may be subject to public records laws and could be disclosed to the public, media, or third parties as required by law.
Status: Response Received from Government -
October 22, 2025 4:19 pm
7 months ago
from: Dillon Huffman <[email protected]>
to: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
cc: publicrecordsrequest <[email protected]>, “Kristian B. Owen” <[email protected]>, Shannon Sorrells <[email protected]>
date: Oct 22, 2025, 4:19 PM
subject: Re: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.Hello,
This email is to acknowledge that this request has been received.
All the best,
E. dillon.huffman@
haywoodcountync.gov C. 828-246-2950
Internal Extension: 2736
Haywood County has a podcast! Listen here: Smoky Mountain Echo
Sign up for Haywood Alerts.
Follow Haywood County on social media!
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” –Dolly Parton
Please be advised that this email and its contents may be subject to public records laws and could be disclosed to the public, media, or third parties as required by law.
Status: Government Processing Request -
October 22, 2025 4:15 pm
7 months ago
from: Sunshine Request <[email protected]>
to: [email protected]
cc: [email protected], “Kristian B. Owen” <[email protected]>, [email protected]
date: Oct 22, 2025, 4:15 PM
subject: Public records request. (October 2025) Request for Haywood County, NC Government: List of all employees and salaries. As of 07/01/2025.Good afternoon Dillon, Kristian, Shannon, (Records Officer / Custodian(s) of these Records),
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 Haywood County, NC employees who were employed as of July 01, 2025. This request is not specific to “current employees” who happen to have been working since July 01. I’m looking for a list of all people employed on July 01, even if they’re no longer employed.
Please include the following:1) Employee first / last name
2) Date of hire
3) Position / Title / Department
4) Salary [including hourly wage, hourly rate, or annual salary — whichever payment structure is applicable to the employee]If for some reason it isn’t possible to query the data in the manner requested (during a specific date in the past), then please explain this reasoning. In that case, it will be sufficient if you provide the data “as of the present day” [on the date the query is performed].
Ideally, I’d like to receive the responsive records in an Excel, or other machine-readable format. If any / all of this info is already publicly
available online, please provide a link to where it can be accessed.** 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 -
October 22, 2025 4:11 pm
7 months ago
Submitted to Sunshine Request
Status: Pending