City of West Branch
121 North 4^th Street West Branch, MI 48661
(989) 345-0500
(Please print complete & return to City Hall at address listed above)
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Freedom of Information Act Requests

It is the explicit policy of the City of West Branch to comply with all provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. This policy sets forth the procedures that City Officers and employees are to follow when processing a request in accordance with Act No. 442 of 1976, as amended.

Making a Request

Most information may be received simply by making an oral request. Should an oral request be insufficient, the individual requesting public information shall be asked to make such request(s) in addresses, property numbers and specific dates.

Original public records are not to be released from the City offices. A person may request that copies of a public record be provided subject to the payment of fees as listed below.

Upon request, a person will be provided with a reasonable opportunity to examine the public records. Persons with special needs should contact the FOIA Coordinator to insure that arrangements for special needs or reasonable facilities are prepared.

All requests shall be acted upon within 5 business days from receipt of the request.

Satisfaction of Request - Fees

Simple copies made from applicant's originals shall cost $.20 each.

Copies made from easily accessed public records are those records immediately available for reproduction with little or no staff research necessary (the more specific the applicant's request, the more likely records will be classified as easily accessed). Easily accessed copies shall cost $.50 for the first page and $.20 for each page thereafter from the same file or document (files researched separately shall count as a new request).

Researched documents shall be charged a fee. The fee shall be computed and charged according to attachment A. Researched documents are those files or documents that require unusual effort to locate (telephone calls, visits to remote storage, cross-referencing, etc.). All requests for researched documents shall be made in writing.

Where total fees and charges are anticipated to exceed $50.00, the City is authorized to require that 50% of the estimated fees and charges be paid in advance. All fees must be paid prior to the release of the copies.

Denial of Requests

Requests for information denied by the FOIA Coordinator shall be made in accordance with Section 13 of Act No. 442 of the Public Acts of 1976, as amended. All denials shall be in writing. Applicants wishing to appeal initial denial shall submit a written request to the City Manager no less than five days before the commencement of court action. Should the City Manager make a final determination of denial of access to records, such determination shall be made in writing.

Designation of FOIA Coordinator

The City Clerk is hereby designated as the FOIA Coordinator. In addition, the following officers and employees shall be authorized to act as FOIA Coordinator designees: the Deputy City Clerk, the Police Records staff, and the Administrative Assistant.

Adopted: September 15, 1997