A. Position Created: There is hereby created the position of "freedom of information act officer" ("FOIA officer"). There may be one or more FOIA officer(s) designated. The corporate authorities of the village will designate one or more officials or employees of the village to act as a freedom of information officer, and the village shall disclose the identity of its FOIA officer(s) on either its website or by means of a list of such officers available for public access. The list of FOIA officer(s) shall also be provided to the state's public access counselor ("PAC").
B. Duties And Responsibilities: The FOIA officer(s), or his or her designee, shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
1. Training: Initially, within six (6) months after January 1, 2010, all FOIA officers shall successfully complete, via electronic means, a training course administered by the Illinois public access counselor (the "PAC"). All FOIA officer(s) shall thereafter complete additional training on an annual basis. New FOIA officers must complete the curriculum within thirty (30) days after their appointment to the position.
2. Responsibilities: The FOIA officer shall be responsible for:
a. Receiving FOIA requests;
b. Ensuring timely responses to FOIA requests;
c. Issuing FOIA responses;
d. Developing a list of documents or categories of records that the village will immediately disclose upon request;
e. Meeting with requesters to inspect records in his or her presence.
3. Request Received: Upon receiving an FOIA request, the FOIA officer shall do the following:
a. Note the date the village received the written request;
b. Compute the day on which the period for response will expire and make a notation of that date on the written request;
c. Maintain an electronic or paper copy of a written request, including all documents submitted with the request until the request has been complied with or denied; and
d. Create a file for the retention of each original request, a copy of the response, a record of written communications with the requester, and a copy of other related communications.
4. Extension Of Time To Produce; Denial: The FOIA officer or his or her designee is authorized to issue notices of extension of time for production of records as well as notices of denial for production of records.
C. Posting Of FOIA Officer And Related Information 2 : In compliance with the provisions of the Illinois FOIA, the village shall prominently display at its administrative office at the village hall, make available for inspection and copying, and send through the mail, if requested, any or all of the following:
1. A brief description of itself, including a short summary of its purpose, a block diagram giving its functional subdivisions, the total amount of its operating budget, the number and location of all of its separate offices, the approximate number of full and part time employees, and the identification and membership of any board, commission, committee, or council which operates in an advisory capacity relative to the operation of the public body, or which exercises control over its policies or procedures, or to which the public body is required to report and be answerable for its operations; and
2. A brief description of the methods whereby the public may request information and public records, a directory designating the freedom of information officer or officers, the address where requests for public records should be directed, and any fees allowable under the FOIA.
The village shall also post this information on any website the village maintains. (Ord. 2011-O-25, 11-1-2011)
Notes
| 1 | 2. 5 ILCS 140/3.5. |
| 2 | 1. 5 ILCS 140/4. |