Consistent with the open records laws of the State of Tennessee (Tennessee Code Annotated, §§ 10-7-501 through 10-7-503), and provisions of Article XIV, § 14.04 of the Cookeville City Charter, employees of the City of Cookeville shall provide full access and assistance in a timely and effective manner to persons who request access to open records. City of Cookeville employees shall at all times protect the integrity and organization of public records with respect to the manner in which such records are inspected and copied. All inspections of copying of records shall be performed by, or under the supervision of a city employee. City personnel shall prevent excessive disruptions of essential functions of the city and shall simultaneously seek to provide access to public records within a reasonable time. Requests for inspection or copying of public records shall be made in writing on a form provided by the city, which is to require the name of the person making the request, and on whose behalf the request is being made, the address and telephone number of the person making the request, and a description of the public records being requested. Such form shall be completed by the person requesting the record, and city employees may demand reasonable identification of any person requesting a record. Hours for making requests for inspection or copying of records shall be the regular office hours of the city. Removal of public records from the offices of the city shall not be permitted. Public records shall not be reproduced when, in the judgment of the city, such records would be damaged by the reproduction process. Questions concerning the publicity of a record shall be directed to the city attorney. If copies of personnel records of any city employee are requested, it shall be the policy of the city to notify each employee involved, which documents have been copied, to whom they have been provided and for whom the inspection was made. (See Tennessee Code Annotated, § 10-7-503).
(Ord. #097-09-23, Sept. 1997)