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Over the past few weeks, we've worked on a few stories needing deeper information from Guilford County. The first is one we ran Sunday about the county's debt load.

Now, we're working on what the county's new incentive policy does and how it would operate. Who accepts applications? How does the process work?

In both cases, responses from the county to information requests have taken some time.

Here's the part where we say that reporters understand that some responses to info requests take time to gather. And we know that the world doesn't revolve around us. But the world - the government world - does revolve around the people that it serves, and people are able to ask questions about how things work.

Lately, we're asking questions about the county's bond debt and how $1.3 million would be spent.

We heard from the county about the bond debt on Friday, when they gave us a handy excel spreadsheet to show how county debt would look like in coming years. Unfortunately, it came after deadline for our story, and at least a week after we had first asked for information. Along the way, though, they pointed us to certain areas in current plans and procedures to show us where to get figures for a picture of what county bond debt could look like. And we know that finance and budget office employees have been busy lately with audits and a sooner than usual budget planning for the county.

They often let us know about their work load when we make information requests that may be more complex than usual.

For example, this: All department heads must have their budgets into County Manager Brenda Jones Fox by the end of October. Usually budgets are due after the first of the year.

So, we understand how some delays in getting back to us may arise.

Greensboro was similarly responsive, relative to their workload.

Speaking of Fox, we've been hoping to hear back from her on how the $1.3 million incentive program would work. Nearly two weeks ago we sent her an e-mail (along with then-county attorney Matt Mason, and deputy manager Sharisse Fuller) asking about some basics on the program.

When we saw her at the commissioners meeting Thursday, Oct. 15 -the day after e-mailing her questions- Fox said she would get a reply to us.

Since then, we haven't heard from her.

We did catch up with Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Steve Arnold the other day to ask about what he knew of the policy and how it would work.

We're also seeking answers to questions such as how the policy would work with county staff, which is something that county staff is often best-suited to answer.

As for the incentive policy, expect to see a story on that later this week.

And if you have any questions, as always, drop us a line: gerald.witt@news-record.com