2.52.050 Availability of public records.
A. Hours for Inspection of Records. Public records are available for inspection and copying during normal business hours of the city, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding legal holidays. Records must be inspected at the offices of the city.
B. Records Index. The city finds that maintaining an index providing identifying information as to records issued, adopted, or promulgated by the city is unduly burdensome and would interfere with agency operations. The requirement would unduly burden or interfere with the city of Gig Harbor’s operations in the following ways: the magnitude and diversity of four city departments, with an even greater number of divisions/subdivisions, has resulted in the creation and use of as many different computer systems. The diversity in programs and information-retaining systems would be extremely difficult, if not physically impossible, to compile into a single index. The performance of the city’s overall mission does not allow for the addition to, or the revision or reassignment of, duties for existing personnel so that a current index may be developed and maintained without additionally required staff, and anticipated city revenue does not allow for additional staff members for the sole purpose of creating and maintaining such an all-inclusive index.
C. Organization of Records. The city will maintain its records in a reasonably organized manner. The city will take reasonable actions to protect records from damage and disorganization. A requestor shall not take city records from city premises. A variety of records are available on the city website at www.cityofgigharbor.net. Requestors are encouraged to view the documents available on the website prior to submitting a records request.
D. Making a Request for Public Records.
1. Any person wishing to inspect or copy public records of the city should make the request in writing on the city’s request form, or by letter, delivery, or email addressed to the public records officer and including the following information:
a. Name of requestor;
b. Mailing address of requestor;
c. Other contact information, including telephone number and any email address;
d. Identification of the public records adequate for the public records officer or designee to locate the records; and
e. The date and time of day of the request.
2. If the requestor wishes to have copies of the records made instead of simply inspecting them, he or she should so indicate and make arrangements to pay for copies of the records or any required deposit and/or postage to mail such records. The city will assess fees for providing copies of public records pursuant to the fee schedule adopted by resolution.
3. A form is available for use by requestors at the office of the public records officer and online at www.cityofgigharbor.net. Oral requests are accepted, but are problematic because an oral request does not memorialize the exact records sought and therefore prevents a requestor or agency from later proving what was included in the request. In addition, a requestor must provide the agency with reasonable notice that the request is for the disclosure of public records, and oral requests, especially to agency staff other than the public records officer, may not provide the agency with the required reasonable notice. Therefore, requestors are encouraged to provide written requests. If the city receives an oral request, the city staff person receiving it should immediately reduce it to writing and then verify in writing with the requestor that it correctly memorializes the request.
4. The city may ask a requestor to prioritize the records he or she is requesting so that the city is able to provide the most important records first. The city is not required to ask for prioritization, and the requestor is not required to provide it.
5. The city cannot require the requestor to disclose the purpose of the request, with two exceptions. First, if the request is for a list of individuals, the city will ask the requestor if he or she intends to use the records for a commercial purpose (a profit-expecting activity). The city’s request for public records form includes a statement that the city is not authorized to provide public records consisting of a list of individuals for commercial use (a profit-expecting activity), and there is a blank for the requestor’s signature under penalty of perjury. This is to acknowledge that the requestor understands the prohibition on the use of such lists, but the requestor is not required to sign in order to obtain the records.
Second, the city may seek information sufficient to allow it to determine if another statute prohibits or allows disclosure. For example, some statutes allow an agency to disclose a record only to a person having particular qualifications or for particular purposes. In such cases, the city is authorized to require that the requestor provide sufficient information in writing under penalty of perjury to allow the city to reasonably determine if the record is disclosable to the requestor. (Ord. 1465 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 1371 § 1 (Exh. A), 2017; Ord. 1094 § 1, 2007).