Hawk Cove, Texas, October 8, 2026. We sent a written cost estimate for an open records request dated September 11, 2026. The request was sent Friday, September 11, after business hours. Counting from Monday, September 14, the estimate went out on the 18th business day (the 17th, if Yom Kippur on Monday, September 21 was observed).
It begins: “This is in response to your open records request of Sept. 11, 2026. I apologize for the delay but this unfortunately was overlooked due to tax season.” (estimate, p. 1)
The itemization, in full:
- “Personnel labor: 250 hours × $15.00/hour … $3,750.00”
- “Overhead: 20% of personnel labor … $750.00”
- “TOTAL ESTIMATED CHARGE: $4,500.00”
The estimate says we are not required to produce the records “unless payment of $4500.00 is received no later than October 18, 2026.”