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Records Access / Freedom of Information

Under §87 and §89 of the New York State Public Officers Law, municipalities comply with the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) providing the public with access to government records. By Common Council Ordinance, FOILs are accepted by the City Clerk as the city’s Records Access Officer. The Records Access Officer is responsible for all correspondence between the requestor and city departments.

Requests are received directly from individuals or are forwarded by other city officials. All FOILs are logged in and reviewed for discoverability under the law. They are then dissemination to the department holding the record. That department is obligated to undertake a records search for the requested information. The information is then sent to the Records Access Officer who either sends it by mail or arranges for it to be picked up by the requestor. The law specifies that this should all occur within a twenty-day window. Some requests can involve hundreds of pages of documents and/or photographs, and research by multiple city departments. Under the law, material is copied at $.25 per page or charged back to the requestor at the actual cost to the city.   You are not required to use the City’s form; however, one has been prepared for your convenience.  Click here to download form.

The RAO assists with research and interacts with Corporation Counsel on interpreting/applying the law, and monitors city departments to assure compliance and additional communication with the requestor, when necessary. The RAO composes and processes documents that communicate information, and informs requestors of denials based on Public Officers Law. The city’s Appeals Officer is provided with information and rationale for denials by the RAO, and after reviewing all information, either upholds the RAO’s denial or reverses it. The Clerk, as RAO, interfac