Sunshine Week: Local governments vary on request procedures

Local governments in Lee County vary on how they accept requests for public records. Alabama law gives no specific time limit in which the records must be provided.

City of Auburn

A “request for access to public records” form must be filled out. The form requires a list of records an applicant wants to view.

It also requires a reason the applicant wants to view the record. “You must give a valid reason,” the form reads.

The request is either approved or denied, with a space on the form available for a reason it was denied.

The city is in the process of reviewing its records request policy, said David Dorton, assistant to the city manager.

“The goal is to provide what people need,” Dorton said.

Typically, records are furnished as soon as possible upon request, he said. Requests that require more research may take a few days.

The standard copy fee is 25 cents a page, he said.

The city is also working on posting old city minutes and other documents on its Web site.

City of Opelika

Opelika’s application form for requesting public records also requires a list of the records and a “valid reason.”

Instructions for filling out the application say the form must be filled out when requesting documents from the office of the mayor, city administrator, city clerk, any department and the library.

The form must be mailed or personally delivered to the mayor or city administrator’s office.

The application will be processed “within a reasonable time period,” the applicant will be charged 25 cents per page in advance.

The city administrator reviews and approves such requests, Opelika spokeswoman Jan Gunter said.

“There’s not many things we don’t approve because they’re public record,” Gunter said. “It would have to be something deemed not public record.”

The city tries to approve requests within 24 hours, she said.

Lee County

Anyone requesting to see public records should visit the county administrator’s office and ask for them. No application forms are required.

According to the Code of Alabama, Sec. 36-12-40, “every citizen has a right to inspect and take a copy of any public writing of this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by statute.”

Some documents, such as material in ongoing criminal investigations, are among the exceptions.