214.01 Introduction to public records.
214.02 Public records custodian.
214.03 Public records.
214.04 Public records requests and responses.
214.05 Costs for obtaining copies of public records.
214.06 E-mail as public records.
214.07 Failure to respond to a public records request.
CROSS REFERENCES
Availability of public records for inspection and copying - see Ohio R.C. 149.43
It is the policy of the City that openness leads to a better informed citizenry, which leads to better government and better public policy. It is the policy of the City to strictly adhere to the State's Public Records Act. All exemptions to openness are to be construed in their narrowest sense and any denial of public records in response to a valid request must be accompanied by an explanation, including legal authority, as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code.
(Ord. 68-2009. Passed 7-13-09.)
(a) Public Records Custodian. All requests for public records must be directed to the authorized public records custodian of the City. Requests made in person must be done during regular business hours, defined herein as 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. All public record requests made in person shall adhere to this requirement even if the public office, e.g. the Division of Police, is operated on a twenty-four hour basis.
(b) Designation. The public records custodians shall be those persons designated by the Mayor in each office of the City who are authorized to respond to or to fulfill any public records request. Any public records request made to any other employee, officer or representative of the City shall not be considered as a properly made request, and the request will be directed to the proper public records custodian. The Mayor may designate active public records custodians to serve in the absence of the public records custodians.
(Ord. 68-2009. Passed 7-13-09.)
(a) Definition. The City, in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code, defines records as including the following: Any document - paper, electronic (including, but not limited to, e-mail), or other format - that is created or received by, or comes under the jurisdiction of a public office that documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the office. All records of the City are public unless they are specifically exempt from disclosure under the Ohio Revised Code.
(b) Organization and Maintenance. It is the policy of the City that as required by Ohio law, records will be organized and maintained so that they are readily available for inspection and copying (see Section 214.05 for the e-mail record policy). The City's record retention schedule may be amended from time to time at the discretion of the Records Commission.
(Ord. 68-2009. Passed 7-13-09.)
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