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Public Records Policy
It is the policy of the
Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District that openness leads to a
better informed citizenry, which leads to better government and better
public policy. It is the policy of the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation
District to adhere to the state’s Public Records Act. A denial of public
records in response to a valid request shall be accompanied by an
explanation, including legal authority, as outlined in the Ohio Revised
Code. If the request is in writing, the explanation shall also be in
writing.
Public
Information Request Form
Section
1. Public records
This
office, in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, defines records as
including the following: Any document – paper, electronic (including,
but not limited to, e-mail), or other format – that is created or
received by, or comes under the jurisdiction of, a public office that
documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures,
operations, or other activities of the office. All records of the
Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District are public unless they are
specifically exempt from disclosure under the Ohio Revised Code.
The Administrative Assistant has been designated as the public
records officer for the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District.
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Section
1.1
It is the policy of the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation
District that, as required by Ohio law, records will be organized and
maintained so that they are readily available for inspection and
copying. Record retention schedules are to be updated regularly and
available for viewing in every department. |
Section
2. Record requests
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Section
2.1
Although no specific language is required to make a request,
the requester must identify the records requested with sufficient
clarity to allow the public office to identify, retrieve, and review
the records. If it is not clear what records are being sought, the
records officer must contact the requester for clarification, and
should assist the requestor in revising the request by informing the
requestor of the manner in which the office keeps its records.
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Section
2.2
The requester is not required to but may complete a Public
Information Request Form. A
Public Information Request Form will be completed either by the
requester or by the public records officer. The form shall be
completed for every request for public information.
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Section
2.3
Public records are to be available for inspection during
regular business hours, with the exception of published holidays.
Public records will be made available for inspection promptly.
Individuals who view records during business hours will be accompanied
by the records officer or alternate. Copies of public records must be
made available within a reasonable period of time. “Prompt” and
“reasonable” take into account the volume of records requested;
the proximity of the location where the records are stored; and the
necessity for any legal review of the records requested.
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Section
2.4 Each
request should be evaluated for an estimated length of time required
to gather the records. All requests for public records shall be
acknowledged in writing by the public records officer within a
reasonable period of time following the offices receipt of the
request. If a request is deemed significantly beyond “routine,”
such as seeking a voluminous number of copies or requiring extensive
research or legal consultation, the acknowledgement must include the
following:
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Section
2.4a
An estimated number of business days it will take to
satisfy the request.
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Section
2.4b
An estimated cost if copies are requested.
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Section
2.4c
Any items within the request that may be exempt from
disclosure.
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Section 2.5
Any denial of public records requested must include an
explanation, including legal authority. If portions of a record are
public and portions are exempt, the exempt portions are
to be redacted and the rest released. If there are redactions, each
redaction must be clearly visible and accompanied by a supporting
explanation, including legal authority.
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Section 2.6
All responses to
requests for public information will be documented on the Response to Request for Public Information form by the public
records officer. Copies of both forms and the information given in
response to the request or detailed information on where a copy of the
information that was given is located will be included in the Public
Information Request file.
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Section
3. Costs for Public Records
Those
seeking public records will be charged the actual cost of making copies.
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Section
3.1
The charge for monochrome paper copies is 10 cents per page.
Color copies are 25 cents per page.
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Section
3.2
The charge for downloaded computer files to a compact disc is
$1 per disc.
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Section
3.3. There
is no charge for documents E-mailed.
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Section 3.4
Requesters may ask that documents be mailed to them. In
addition to copy charges, they will be charged the actual cost of the
postage and mailing supplies. Documents will be mailed upon receipt of
payment.
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Section
4. E-mail
Documents
in electronic mail format are records as defined by the Ohio Revised Code
when their content relates to the business of the office. E-mail is to be
treated in the same fashion as records in other formats and should follow
the same retention schedules. County employees shall use only county
E-mail accounts to conduct public business.
Section
5. Failure to respond to a public records request
The Geauga Soil and Water
Conservation District failure to comply appropriately to a public records
request may result in a court ordering the Geauga Soil and Water
Conservation District to comply with the law and to pay the requester
attorney’s fees and damages.
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