Public Records Policy
To request a public record, contact us and describe the requested records as specifically as possible.
Our Public Records Policy guides us in properly handling public records requests. It also lets the public know how we can help them access office records they are entitled to by law.
Defining and Organizing Public Records: All records that document the work of the Park District are public unless they are exempt from disclosure by law. All public records must be organized and maintained so they can be made available in response to public records requests. This applies to all public records, whether they exist on paper, electronically (e.g., business email correspondence), or on any other media.
Public Access to Records: Public Records are available for inspection during regular business hours, with the exception of published holidays. Records must be provided promptly for inspection, and copies must be made available within a reasonable period of time.
Processing Public Records Requests: Requesters do not have to provide their identity or indicate the purpose for the requested information. All requests for public records must either be satisfied or if they cannot be satisfied within a reasonable time following the request, they must be acknowledged in writing provided the requester has provided sufficient information for the office to communicate with the requester.
No specific language is required to make a request for public records; however, the requester must at least identify the records requested with sufficient clarity to allow the office to identify, retrieve, and review the records.
If it is not clear what records are being sought, a Park District employee will contact the requester, if contact information is provided, to request clarification and assist in refining the request by explaining how the office's records are organized and kept.
Electronic Records: Electronic records are to be treated in the same manner as records in other formats. Communications, such as text messages, instant messages, and emails, may be public records if their content documents the business of the Park District.
Records in private email accounts used to conduct public business are subject to disclosure, and all employees or representatives of the Park District are required to copy their emails that relate to public business to their business email accounts and retain them in accordance with applicable records retention schedules.
Denying or Redacting Public Records: Any denial of public records requested must be in writing if the original request was in writing and must include an explanation of legal authority. Redactions must be made plainly visible by using some obvious marking.
Copying and Mailing Charges: Those seeking public records may be charged only the actual cost of copies, not labor. The charge for paper copies is 5 cents per page, with the first 20 copies being free of charge. In determining the number of free copies, the number of copies received by an individual in a calendar year is cumulative. This means the number of free photocopies does not restart with each request within a calendar year. The charge for electronic files downloaded to a compact disc or other medium is the actual cost of the medium.
A requester may choose to receive copies either on paper, on the same medium in which the requested records are kept, or on any other medium on which the office determines that the record can be reasonably duplicated as an integral part of the office's normal operations. If a requester wishes to have public records delivered through the mail, the Park District may require prepayment of the cost of copies and postage.
