Administrative Policy #1.14 - Public Records Requests
Purpose
To establish a procedure for accepting and responding to public records requests and to establish a uniform fee schedule for providing public records.
Scope
This procedure applies to City of Corvallis staff and anyone who wishes to request public records from the City of Corvallis.
Policy
It is the policy of the City of Corvallis to ensure that any person is able to inspect any non-exempt City of Corvallis public record.
Procedures
Request Submission and Routing
All public records requests, with the exception of Police records requests, must be submitted to the City in writing using the Public Records Request Form (Attachment A) available at https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/community/page/public-records-requests. Requests may be submitted directly through the City’s website or requesters may print, complete, and submit the form to City of Corvallis, Attention: City Recorder, PO Box 1083, Corvallis OR 97339.
Requests for Police records must be submitted in writing using the Request for Police Records Form (Attachment B), available at https://forms.corvallisoregon.gov/Forms/PD-Records-Request. Requests for Police records may be submitted directly through the City’s website or requesters may print, complete, and submit the form to City of Corvallis Police Department, Attention: Records Unit, PO Box 1083, Corvallis OR 97339.
City staff will direct requesters who do not use the authorized forms for public records requests to the proper submission method. Staff will enter data from paper copies of non-Police Public Records Request Forms (Attachment A) into the online form for efficient processing, management, and retention of the request.
The City Recorder receives all non-Police Public Records Request Form submissions and assigns them to the department(s) responsible for fulfilling the request (“Responding Department(s)"). When multiple departments are responsible for fulfilling a request, the City Recorder will designate a department to lead the response.
Acknowledgment
The Responding Department will acknowledge receipt of public records requests within five (5) business days after the City received the request (ORS 192.324(2)) (cc’ing the City Recorder for non-Police public records requests). Acknowledgment will communicate one of the following:
| Acknowledgment Type | Applicable Scenario | Response Requirements |
|---|---|---|
|
No records |
If there are no records responsive to the request. |
Confirm the City has no records responsive to the request. |
|
Not custodian |
If the requested record(s) have been destroyed in accordance with the retention schedule or if another agency is the custodian of the requested record(s). |
Confirm the City is not the custodian of the requested record(s). The Responding Department may also redirect the requester to the custodian (if known and applicable). |
|
Fulfillment |
If the records request can be fulfilled within the five (5) day deadline at no cost. |
Confirm the City is the custodian of the requested record(s), provide the record(s), and state they are being provided at no charge due to limited staff time required to produce. |
|
Estimate |
If there is a cost associated with fulfillment. |
Confirm the City is the custodian of the requested record(s) and provide the time and cost estimate required to fulfill the request. |
|
Additional time |
If staff needs additional time to determine whether the City is the custodian, to produce the records, or to develop a time/cost estimate. |
Confirm the City is the custodian of the requested record(s) (if possible), provide the applicable update regarding the request, and provide an estimated date of next communication. |
|
Clarification |
If the request language is unclear, if additional information is required for fulfillment, or if there is a free, self-service option for obtaining the records. |
Confirm the City is the custodian of the requested record(s) (if possible) and ask questions for clarification. If it is easier or provides better customer service, staff is encouraged to call a requester to obtain the clarification. If a phone call is made, staff must follow up via email to document the communication. |
|
Other |
If the request relates to litigation, a tort claim notice, an arrest, or prosecution, if State or Federal law prohibits the City from acknowledging whether the record exists, or if acknowledging whether the record exists would result in the loss of federal benefits or other sanction. |
Consult with the City Recorder or City Attorney before responding to the requester. |
Fulfillment
The City is not required to do any of the following in response to a records request: create new records; disclose the reasoning behind City actions; answer questions about records; analyze records; or perform legal research in order to identify records that are responsive to a request (Attorney General’s Public Records and Meetings Manual 2019).
Any uncertainty regarding whether a record is exempt from disclosure should be referred to the City Recorder or the City Attorney for review and determination.
The Responding Department must complete its response to a records request as soon as practicable and without unreasonable delay, no later than fifteen (15) business days after the request is received by the City (ORS 192.329(5)). The time in which the City is able to fulfill a request will depend on various factors, including staff availability, the specificity of the request, the volume of records requested, the amount of exempt material, and the ease in determining whether any of the records are exempt from disclosure. The fifteen (15) business day deadline does not apply if: staff necessary to complete a response to the records request are unavailable; compliance would demonstrably impede the City’s ability to perform other necessary services; or there is a high volume of public records requests simultaneously being processed by the City (ORS 192.329(6)).
A public records request is considered closed when the Responding Department (cc’ing the City Recorder for non-Police public records requests): provides any non-exempt records to the requester; asserts the requested record(s) are exempt from disclosure; notifies the requester that the City is not the custodian of the requested record(s); asserts state or federal law prohibits the City from acknowledging whether a requested record exists; or has received no response from a requester to a fee estimate or clarifying question within sixty (60) calendar days (ORS 192.329(2), (3)(b), and (4)(a)).
Fees
All fees will be quoted and charged in accordance with the Fee Schedule (Attachment C) attached to this Procedure. Public records requests that do not correspond with a specific fee on the schedule and take 30 minutes or less of staff research time to complete will be fulfilled without charge.
If fulfillment of a records request will incur a fee, the Responding Department will ask the requester to approve the estimated cost before proceeding with the request. If the estimated cost to respond to a public records request exceeds $100, the City may request a deposit of one-half of the fee before proceeding with the request. Full payment of the actual costs incurred to complete a records request is required prior to fulfillment of a request.
Requests for fee waiver or reduced fees may be made in writing to the Responding Department or City Recorder. At the discretion of the Department Director of the Responding Department or the City Recorder, fees for producing public records may be reduced or waived if the particular request is in the public interest (ORS 192.324(5)) or for elected officials, other governmental agencies (City, County, State, and Federal levels), persons appointed to City advisory bodies, or the media.
Archiving
Responding Departments will ensure that all public records disclosure request records are stored in the City’s electronic records management system and retained in accordance with OAR 166-200
Guidelines
Each City department is responsible for responding to public records requests and setting supplemental fee schedules.
The City will provide proper and reasonable opportunities for inspection and examination of non-exempt public records during normal business hours, consistent with State law. The City will provide these records in the form requested, if available. If the non-exempt public records are not available in the form requested, the City will make the records available in the form in which it is maintained.
Consistent with the City Council's goal to enhance sustainability efforts, the City will make every effort to provide access to non-exempt public records electronically and through the City's Web site
Definitions
Exempt Record: Records not subject to public disclosure as identified in ORS 192.345, 192.355, or other law.
Public Body: Every city governing body and any board, department, commission, council, or agency thereof.
Public Record: Any writing that contains information relating to the conduct of the public's business, prepared, owned, used, or retained by a public body regardless of physical form or characteristics. It does not include any writing that does not relate to the conduct of the public's business and that is contained on a privately owned computer.
Responding Department: Department(s) with responsive records that are assigned to respond to a public records request.
Writing: Handwriting, typewriting, printing, photographing, and every means of recording, including letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols, or combination thereof, and all papers, maps, files, facsimiles, or electronic recordings
Review/Update
The City Recorder will prepare this Administrative Procedure for review as needed for City Manager approval.
Last reviewed: 05-2025
