A. All requests for access to public records of the City of Reading shall be directed to the City of Reading Law Department, Room 2-54 City Hall, between the business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m,. Monday through Friday, (except on holidays) or at
solicitor@readingpa.org. Requests will be addressed within five days of receipt.
B. Upon receiving a request for a public record, the Law Department shall do all of the following:
(1) Note the date of receipt on the written request.
(2) Compute the day on which the five-day period will expire and make a notation of the date on the written request.
(3) Maintain an electronic or paper copy of a written request, including all documents submitted with the request until the request has been fulfilled. If the request is denied, the written request shall be maintained for 30 days or, if an appeal is filed, until a final determination is issued or the appeal is deemed denied.
(4) Create a file for the retention of the original request, a copy of the response, a record of written communications with the requestor and a copy of other communications.
C. The Law Department shall respond to the requester within five business days from the date of receipt of the written request. If the City of Reading does not respond within five business days of receipt thereof, the request is deemed denied.
D. The response provided by the City of Reading shall consist of:
(1) Approval for access to the public record;
(2) Review of the request by the Law Department; or
(3) Denial of access to the record requested.
E. If access to the public record requested is approved, the public record shall be available for access during the regular business hours of the City of Reading. The Law Department, or its designee, shall cooperate fully with the requester, while also taking reasonable measures to protect the City of Reading's public records from the possibility of theft and/or modification. The presence of a designated employee is required when public records are examined and inspected.