(A) Uniform fee for xerographic copies. All offices of the county (not otherwise covered by statute or ordinance) shall henceforth charge a uniform fee of $0.10 per one-sided page (per sheet of paper) for each xerographic reproduction from a copy machine of county public records provided pursuant to any oral or written request made of an office maintaining the public record being sought. This fee shall apply to standard size documents of eight and one-half inches by 11 inches to 11 by 17 inches in size. The fee shall be $0.20 per two-sided page.
(B) Postage charges. Those requests for copies from an office subject to this section received through the United States mail shall be charged postage for the return of those items requested at the prevailing rate per ounce established by the United States Postal Service for first class postage, along with the fee for the number of pages requested. If the requestor provides the appropriate amount of postage in advance with the copy request, then no postage shall be assessed upon the request for copies.
(C) Exceptions by law. The fee established by this section shall not apply, nor do they supersede the schedules set by state law for copy charges for those county offices or records governed by state statute or court order as outlined in I.C. 5-14-3-8(f). (For example, but not limited to, recording copy fees, Clerk’s certification and/or copy fees.)
(D) Reasonable response time to requests.
(1) The county office/department from which the request for xerographic copies is made, shall have reasonable opportunity to provide the requested information, and shall make a reasonable effort to do so, taking into account the following factors by way of example, but not limited to:
(a) Available staffing:
(b) Available equipment; and/or
(c) And the volume of information requested.
(2) Compilation and copying of public documents may not unreasonably interfere with the business of the public agency.
(3) Depending upon the types of information sought, such office/department may permit individuals requesting information to make their own search for documents and to make their own xerographic copies of such information; however, in such cases, the fee outlined in division (A) above, shall be charged.
(4) No request for records may be denied because the person making such request refuses to state the purpose of the request, unless such condition is required by an applicable state or federal statute.
(E) Basis of charges for booklets, pamphlets and folded maps. In the event any county department provides information in booklet or pamphlet or folded map form, the booklet or pamphlet or folded map shall be provided to the public at the actual unit price or for the printing of the booklet or pamphlet or folded map, rounded to the next even dollar.
(F) Copy fees for booklets and pamphlets. Xerographic copy fees or fees collected for booklets, pamphlets or folded maps, as required by this section, shall be deposited with the County Auditor not less than monthly; and, accordingly, all such collected fees shall be deposited into the General Fund of the county.
(Council Ord. 2000-1, passed 1-10-2000)