A. The public records officer will process requests in the order allowing the most requests to be processed in the most efficient manner.

B. Within five business days of receipt of the request, the public records officer will do one or more of the following:

C. Consequences of Failure to Respond. If the city does not respond within five business days of receipt of the request for disclosure, the requestor should consider contacting the public records officer to determine the reason for the failure to respond.

D. Protecting Rights of Others. In the event that the requested records contain information that may affect rights of others and may be exempt from disclosure, the public records officer may, prior to providing the records, give notice to such others whose rights may be affected by the disclosure. Such notice should be given so as to make it possible for those other persons to contact the requestor and ask him or her to revise the request, or, if necessary, seek an order from a court to prevent or limit the disclosure. The notice to the affected persons will include a copy of the request.

E. Records Exempt from Disclosure. Some records are exempt from disclosure, in whole or in part. If the city believes that a record is exempt from disclosure and should be withheld, the public records officer will state the specific exemption and provide a brief explanation of why the record or a portion of the record is being withheld. If only a portion of a record is exempt from disclosure, but the remainder is not exempt, the public records officer will redact the exempt portions, provide the nonexempt portions, and indicate to the requestor why portions of the record are being redacted, except to the extent otherwise provided by law.

F. Inspection of Records.

G. Providing Copies of Records. After inspection is complete, the public records officer shall make the requested copies or arrange for copying.

H. Providing Records in Installments. When a public records request is for a large volume of records, the public records officer may elect to provide records on an installment basis if he or she reasonably determines that it would be practical to provide the records in that way. If a requester does not contact the public records officer to arrange for the review of any installment within 30 days of being notified that the records are available for review, the city may deem the request abandoned, stop fulfilling the remainder of the request, and close the request. The city may fulfill smaller requests received after a large request prior to fulfilling the large request. The public records officer will process requests in the order allowing the most requests to be processed in the most efficient manner.

I. Completion of Inspection. When the inspection of the requested records is complete and all requested copies are provided, the public records officer will indicate that the city has completed a diligent search for the requested records and made any located nonexempt records available for inspection.

J. Closing Withdrawn or Abandoned Request. When the requestor either withdraws the request or fails to fulfill his or her obligations to inspect the records or pay the deposit or final payment for the requested copies, the public records officer will close the request and indicate to the requestor that the city has closed the request.

K. Later Discovered Documents. The city has no obligation to search for records responsive to a closed request. If the city discovers responsive records after a request has been closed, the city should provide the later-discovered records to the requestor.

L. No Duty to Create Records. The city is not obligated to create a new record in order to satisfy a record request.

M. Searching for Records. The city must conduct an objectively reasonable search for responsive records. Such a search usually begins with the public records officers for the city deciding where the records are likely to be and who is likely to know where they are. The records officer should also email staff members selected as most likely to have responsive records. Staff are required to promptly respond to inquiries regarding responsive records from the records officer.

N. Request Log. The city will maintain a log of all public records requests submitted to and processed by the city. The log will include at least the following information: the identity of the requestor, if known; the date the request was received; the text of the original request; a description of the records redacted or withheld and the reasons for redacting or withholding; and the date of the final disposition of the request.

O. Multiple Requests by the Same Requestor. In order to provide the fullest assistance to all records requestors and to prevent excessive interference with other essential functions of the city, if the same requestor (or their representative) has submitted multiple unrelated requests determined to be large or complex requests, the public records officer may process the requests one at a time and in the order received, in order to allow the public records officer to also process other requestors’ later-received requests. The city shall endeavor to provide all requestors, and their representatives, with equal assistance and attention, to the extent reasonably and feasibly possible. (Ord. 1465 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 1371 § 1 (Exh. A), 2017; Ord. 1094 § 1, 2007).