The Houston County Public Records Commission
Their Duties and Responsibilities
The governing body over the Houston County Archives is the Houston County Public Records Commission and the county Mayor. Tennessee state law requires that each county appoint a public records commission consisting of certain members. Each county's commission must consist of at least six members; additional members are optional. Three of these positions are appointed by the county mayor, then must be confirmed by the county commissioners. Of these three, one is to be a member of the county legislative body (county commissioner), one a judge of one of the courts in the county, and one a genealogist. In addition, certain county officials automatically become members by nature of the office they hold. These members are the county clerk, register of deeds, county historian and the county archivist. Members remain on the board until their term in office expires, or they are deceased. All members have the same right and privileges, including voting rights.
The commission must elect a chairperson and a secretary and keep minutes of all its proceedings and transactions. State law requires that the county public records commission meet at least twice a year.
Current members of the Houston County Public Records Commission are:
| Chairperson/County Archivist/Professional Genealogist: Melissa Barker | County Clerk: Robert Brown | Houston County Library Director: Kay French |
| County Commissioner - Martha Greenfield | Register of Deeds: Sherrill Potts Moore | |
| County Judge: Markley Runyon Gill and Sid Vinson | County Historian: Nina Finley |
