Chapter 2 ADMINISTRATION*
Section 2-25.5 Fees.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, each public governmental
body may prescribe
reasonable fees for providing access to or furnishing copies of public records subject to the
following:
(1) Fees for copying public records shall not exceed
ten (10) cents per page for a paper copy
not larger than nine (9) by fourteen (14) inches, with the hourly fee for duplicating time not to
exceed the average hourly rate of pay for clerical staff of the city. Research time required for
fulfilling records requests may be charged at the actual cost of research time. Based on the scope
of the request, the city shall produce the copies using employees that result in the lowest amount
of charges for search, research and duplication time. Prior to producing copies of the requested
records, the person requesting the records may request the city to provide an estimate of the cost
to the person requesting the records
. Documents may be furnished without charge or at a reduced
charge when the public governmental body determines that waiver or reduction of the fee is in
the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the
operations or activities of the public governmental body and is not primarily in the commercial
interest of the requester.
(2) Fees for providing access to public records maintained
on computer facilities, recording
tapes or
disks
, video tapes or films, pictures, maps, slides, graphics, illustrations or similar audio
or visual items or devices,
and for paper copies larger than nine (9) by fourteen (14) inches
shall
include only the cost of copies, staff time
which shall not exceed the average hourly rate of pay
for staff of the city
required for making copies and programming, if necessary, and the
cost of the
disk
,
tape
or other medium
used for the duplication.
Fees for maps, blueprints, or plats that
require special expertise to duplicate may include the actual rate of compensation for the trained
personnel required to duplicate such maps, blueprints or plats. If programming is required
beyond the customary and usual level to comply with a request for records or information, the
fees for compliance may include the actual cost of such programming.
(b) Payment of such copying fees may be requested prior to
the making of
copies.
(Ord. No. 1164, § 1, 9-21-87; Ord. No. 15733, §
1, 9-8-98;
Ord. No. 18249, § 1, 9-20-04
)
Note--See the editor's note at § 2-23.
(Ord. 18249, Amended, 09/20/2004, Prior Text; Manual, Amended, 09/08/1998, Prior Text)