Former Boynton official's trial on open records violations set for October

Former Boynton Town Clerk/Treasurer Pauline Osburn’s jury trial on two counts of violating the state Open Records Act has been scheduled for Oct. 26.

Osburn was charged in May after refusing to grant town trustees access to the town's water records. She resigned May 26.

Once officials had the records in hand, they learned the town had about $15,000 in the bank but more than $40,000 in debts. At the same time, the city was owed thousands of dollars for delinquent water bills. One resident owed more than $8,000, The Muskogee Phoenix reported.

The newspaper originally reported Osburn’s jury trial was scheduled for July 27.

However, that was apparently the date set for her disposition hearing, which was then rescheduled for this past Thursday.

An editor at the newspaper confirmed Monday that Osburn’s jury trial has been set for Oct. 26.

Osburn was 73 when she was charged.

A violation of the Open Records Act is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $500 and/or up to one year in the county jail. (OKLA. STAT. tit. 51, § 24A.17(A))


Joey Senat, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
OSU School of Journalism