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Public Records Act Request Example
Thanks to Barbara Eustis-Cross for this example.
This is a Public Records Act request I just wrote to a local animal control agency: This request is made under the California Government Code, Sections 6253 and 6254 (f). Please send to me copies of any documents which would show job description information on all positions at the City of Ridgecrest Animal Shelter including but not limited to employment requirements including educational or experience background, certification or degrees required, advancement requirements, citizenship requirements, psychological screening, job titles, specific job duties, and current pay scale. Additionally, I request copies of all documents which show on what authority through State, Civil, or local codes authorizes Ridgecrest City Animal Control personal to issue citations or conduct investigations Please send to me copies of all written recommendations, notes, memoranda, inter-office or inter-agency communications, correspondence or other writings constituting a communication between any employee, contractee or agent of the City of Ridgecrest and any other employee, government office holder or representative, or other person which is in references to or includes language referring to any employee, volunteer, other person(s), policy or operation of the Ridgecrest City animal shelter within the last six (6) months of this year. As you are aware, the California Government Code provides that if portions of a document are exempt from release, the remainder must be segregated and disclosed. Therefore we will expect you to send all nonexempt portions of the records which have been requested and asked that you justify any deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the Government Code. We reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any materials. I am prepared to pay reasonable search and duplication fees in connection with this request. However, the Government Code provides for waiver or reduction of fees if disclosure could be considered as “primarily benefiting the general public.” As this information is vital to understanding the operation of the shelter and subsequent recommendations by the Animal Control Advisory Board which is a public forum, we ask that you waive all search and duplication fees. As I am making this request in the capacity of a researcher for a public forum and this information is of a timely value, I look forward to receiving your reply within ten (10) business days as required by law. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. Sincerely, Barbara Eustis-Cross Executive Director ...................................................................... This is a sample Open Records request, which can be made to any Kentucky state or local official, elected or appointed, for any public document. The official is required to reply to you within three days. Please feel free to use this letter, alter it, add to it or subtract from it. The cost of obtaining disk copies of even massive documents is normally only a dollar or two. Printed copies can run into the hundreds. -------- Contact name (or head official) Title of contact or official Address City, State, Zip RE: Request for Electronic (specifically flat file ASCII format) Copy of Public Records (specifically _______________________________________________) Pursuant to the Kentucky Open Records Law (KRS 61.870 et seq.) Dear_____________, As you know, the purpose of this request is [[ not only to obtain these documents in print but to ]] obtain these documents in ASCII format so that they may be transferred online where they may be viewed and discussed by the people of Louisville and Jefferson County. In accordance with the provision of Kentucky's Open Records Law (KRS 61.870 et seq.), I therefore hereby request that you make available for inspection and copying the most-current version of __________ ____________________________________________________.