However, such documents must be made available for inspection at the conclusion of the administrative action unless they are exempted by other provisions of the Open Records Act. In the instant action, Ms. Biggs indicates that the Department's internal administrative investigation is still ongoing. The Department has informed Mr. Bleidt that the records may be made available for his inspection after the action is either concluded or a decision is made to forgo any action. Preliminary drafts, notes, correspondence with private individuals, other than correspondence which is intended to give notice of final action of a public agency. Not every paper in the office of a public agency is a public record subject to public inspection.
Many papers are simply work papers which are exempted because they are preliminary drafts and notes.
Yellow pads can be filled with outlines, notes, drafts and doodlings which are unceremoniously thrown in the wastebasket or which may in certain cases be kept in a desk drawer for future reference. Such preliminary drafts and notes and preliminary memoranda are part of the tools which a public employee or officer uses in hammering out official action within the function of his office. They are expressly exempted by the Open Records Law and may be destroyed or kept at will and are not subject to public inspection. Consequently recommendations and opinions expressed by a subordinate to a superior should not be subject to public scrutiny. Otherwise, there would be a chilling effect cast upon the ability of government to function as a system.