[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Shawano by Ord. No. 846; amended in its entirety 8-7-1996 by Ord. No. 1311. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Public records — See § 1.25.
In recognition of the fact that a representative government is dependent upon an informed electorate, it is declared to be the public policy of this City that all persons are entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those officers and employees who represent them. To that end, the provisions of this chapter shall be construed in every instance with a presumption of complete public access, consistent with the conduct of governmental business.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AUTHORITY
Any City entity having custody of a City record, including an office, elected official, agency, board, commission, committee, council, department or public body corporate and politic created by constitution, law, ordinance, rule or order; or a formally constituted submit of the foregoing.
CUSTODIAN
That officer, department head, division head or employee of the City designated under § 19.04 below or otherwise responsible by law to keep and preserve any City records or file, deposit or keep such records in his or her office or is lawfully in possession or entitled to possession of such public records and who is required by this chapter to respond to requests for access to such records.
RECORD
Any material on which written, drawn, printed, spoken, visual or electromagnetic information is recorded or preserved, regardless of physical form or characteristics, which has been created or is being kept by an authority. "Record" includes, but is not limited to, handwritten, typed or printed pages, maps, charts, photographs, films, recordings, tapes (including computer tapes) and computer printouts. "Record" does not include drafts, notes, preliminary computations and like materials prepared for the originator's personal use or prepared by the originator in the name of a person for whom the originator is working; materials which are purely the personal property of the custodian and have no relation to his or her office; materials to which access is limited by copyright, patent or bequest; and published materials in the possession of an authority other than a public library which are available for sale or which are available for inspection at a public library.
(1) 
Except as otherwise provided herein, each officer and employee of the City shall safely keep and preserve all records received from his or her predecessor or other persons required by law to be filed, deposited or kept in his or her office, or which are in the lawful possession or control of the officer or employee or his or her deputies, or to the possession or control of which he or she or they may be lawfully entitled as such officers or employees.
(2) 
Upon the expiration of an officer's term of office or an employee's term of employment, or whenever the office or position of employment becomes vacant, each such officer or employee shall deliver to his or her successor all records then in his or her custody, and the successor shall receipt therefor to the officer or employee who shall file said receipt with the Clerk-Treasurer. If a vacancy occurs before a successor is selected or qualifies, such records shall be delivered to and receipted for by the Clerk-Treasurer on behalf of the successor, to be delivered to such successor upon the latter's receipt.
(1) 
Each elected official or department head is the legal custodian of his or her records and the records of his or her office, but such official or department head may designate an employee of his or her staff to act as the legal custodian. The custodian for the various departments of the City are as follows: Clerk-Treasurer, Director of Public Works, Park and Recreation Director, Police Chief, Assessor, Building Inspector, Grants and Aids Administrator and Shawano Municipal Utility Manager.
[Amended 9-8-1999 by Ord. No. 1419; 12-7-2005 by Ord. No. 1638]
(2) 
Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Clerk-Treasurer or his or her deputy shall act as legal custodian for the Council and for any committees, commissions, boards or other authorities or agencies created by ordinance or resolution of the Council.
(3) 
No elected official is responsible for the record of any other elected official unless he or she has possession of the record of that other official.
The following regulations shall apply to all requests for inspection and/or copies of City records:
(1) 
Public records will be available for inspection during all normal office hours.
(2) 
A person requesting a record does not have to provide his or her name nor the reason for the request; however, no inspection of records shall be permitted without supervision. Inspection requests involving lengthy supervision shall be subject to adjournment from time to time in order to allow the supervising employee an opportunity to meet other work priorities.
(3) 
Requests for copies of public records must be submitted in writing and must reasonably describe the document to which access is sought. A request may be made orally, but a request must be in writing before an action to enforce the request is commenced under W.S.A. s. 19.37.
(4) 
The legal custodian shall have five days in which to respond to written requests. If, after conferring with the City Attorney, the legal custodian determines that a written request is so general as to be unduly time consuming, the party making the request may first be required to itemize his or her request in a manner which would permit reasonable compliance.
(5) 
The cost of photocopying shall be in an amount as set by Council resolution. If a copy is requested to be digitally reproduced or copies of a tape made, the fee for same shall be as set by Council resolution.
[Amended 12-8-1999 by Ord. No. 1438]
(6) 
If the form of a written record does not permit copying, the actual and necessary cost of photographing and photographic processing shall be charged. The cost of providing a copy of other records not in printed form on paper such as films, computer printouts, audio and visual tapes, and magnetic media shall be in an amount as set by Council resolution.
[Amended 6-8-2011 by Ord. No. 1781]
(7) 
There shall be no charge for locating a record unless the actual cost therefor exceeds $50, in which case the actual cost shall be determined by the legal custodian and billed to the requester.
(8) 
The legal custodian, in his or her sole discretion, may estimate the cost of inspection and/or copying and require a cash deposit adequate to assure payment if such estimate exceeds $5.
(9) 
Elected and appointed officials of the City shall not be required to pay for public records that they may reasonably require for the proper performance of their official duties.
(10) 
The legal custodian may provide copies of a record without charge or at a reduced charge where he or she determines that waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest.
(11) 
The fee charged for each parcel of information given to mortgage institutions, banks, title companies, etc., for tax payments shall be in an amount as set by Council resolution.
[Amended 6-13-2001 by Ord. No. 1490; 6-8-2011 by Ord. No. 1780]
(12) 
Requests for property information from the Assessor's office shall be responded to within two working days of receiving a written request. No request shall be responded to until payment of fees set by Council resolution.
[Added 8-10-2005 by Ord. No. 1625]
(1) 
As provided by W.S.A. s. 19.36, the following records are exempt from inspection under this section:
(a) 
Records specifically exempted from disclosure by state or federal law or authorized to be exempted from disclosure by state law.
(b) 
Any record relating to investigative information obtained for law enforcement purposes if federal law or regulations require exemption from disclosure or if exemption from disclosure is a condition to receipt of aids by the state.
(c) 
Computer programs, although the material used as input for a computer program or the material produced as a product of the computer program is subject to inspection.
(d) 
A record or any portion of a record containing information qualifying as a common law trade secret.
(2) 
As provided by W.S.A. s. 43.30, public library circulation records are exempt from inspection under this section.
(3) 
In responding to a request for inspection or copying of a record which is not specifically exempt from disclosure, the legal custodian, after conferring with the City Attorney, may deny the request, in whole or in part, only if he or she determines that the harm to the public interest resulting from disclosure would outweigh the public interest in full access to the requested record. Examples of matters for which disclosure may be refused include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) 
Records obtained under official pledges of confidentiality which were necessary and given in order to obtain the information contained in them.
(b) 
Records of current deliberations after a quasi-judicial hearing.
(c) 
Records of current deliberations concerning employment, dismissal, promotion, demotion, compensation, performance or discipline of any City officer or employee, or the investigation of charges against a City officer or employee, unless such officer or employee consents to such disclosure.
(d) 
Records concerning current strategy for crime detection or prevention.
(e) 
Records of current deliberations or negotiations on the purchase of City property, investing of City funds or other City business whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require nondisclosure.
(f) 
Financial, medical, social or personal histories or disciplinary data of specific persons which, if disclosed, would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person referred to in such history or data.
(g) 
Communications between legal counsel for the City and any officer, agent or employee of the City when advice is being rendered concerning strategy with respect to current litigation in which the City or any of its officers, agents or employees is, or is likely, to become involved or communications which are privileged under W.S.A. s. 905.03.
(4) 
If a record contains information that may be made public and information that may not be made public, the custodian of the record shall provide the information that may be made public and delete the information that may not be made public from the record before release. The custodian shall confer with the City Attorney prior to releasing any such record and shall follow the guidance of the City Attorney when separating out the exempt material. If, in the judgment of the custodian and the City Attorney, there is no feasible way to separate the exempt material from the nonexempt material without unreasonably jeopardizing nondisclosure of the exempt material, the entire record shall be withheld from disclosure.
(1) 
Financial records. City officers may destroy the following nonutility records of which they are the legal custodian and which are considered obsolete after completion of an audit by state auditors or an auditor licensed under W.S.A. Ch. 442, but not less than seven years after payment or receipt of any sum involved in the particular transaction unless a shorter period has been fixed or will, in the future, be fixed by the Committee on Public Records, pursuant to W.S.A. s. 16.61(3)(e), and then after such shorter period:
(a) 
Bank statements, deposit books, slips and stubs.
(b) 
Bonds and coupons after maturity.
(c) 
Canceled checks, duplicates and check stubs.
(d) 
License and permit applications, stubs and duplicates.
(e) 
Payrolls and other time and employment records of personnel included under the Wisconsin Retirement Fund.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 1.23, Wisconsin Retirement Fund, of this chapter.
(f) 
Receipt forms.
(g) 
Special assessment records.
(h) 
Vouchers, requisitions, purchase orders and all other supporting documents pertaining thereto.
(2) 
Utility records. City officers may destroy the following utility records of which they are the legal custodians and which are considered obsolete after completion of any required audit by the Bureau of Municipal Audit or an auditor licensed under W.S.A. Ch. 442, subject to State Public Service Commission regulations, but not less than seven years after the record was effective unless a shorter period has been fixed by the State Public Records Board pursuant to W.S.A. s. 16.61(3)(e), and then after such a shorter period, except that water stubs, receipts of current billings and customers' ledgers may be destroyed after two years:
(a) 
Water, electric and sewer stubs and receipts of current billings.
(b) 
Customers' ledgers.
(c) 
Vouchers and supporting documents pertaining to charges not included in plant accounts.
(d) 
Other utility records after seven years with the written approval of the State Public Service Commission.
(3) 
Other records. Any City officer may destroy the following records of which he or she is the legal custodian and which are considered obsolete, but not less than seven years after the record was effective, unless another period has been set by statute or by the State Public Records Board pursuant to W.S.A. s. 16.61(3)(e), and then after such a shorter period:
(a) 
Assessment rolls and related records, including Board of Review minutes.
(b) 
Contracts and papers relating thereto.
(c) 
Correspondence and communications.
(d) 
Financial reports other than annual financial reports.
(e) 
Insurance policies.
(f) 
Oaths of office.
(g) 
Reports of boards, commissions, committees and officials duplicated in the Council minutes.
(h) 
Resolutions and petitions.
(i) 
Voter record cards.
(4) 
Notice required. Unless notice is waived by the State Historical Society, at least 60 days' notice shall be given the State Historical Society prior to the destruction of any record as provided in W.S.A. s. 19.21(4)(a).
(5) 
Tape recordings. Any tape recording of a governmental meeting of the City may be destroyed, erased or reused no sooner than 90 days after the minutes of the meeting have been approved and published if the purpose of the recording was to make minutes of the meeting.
(6) 
Limitation. This section shall not be construed to authorize the destruction of any public record after a period less than prescribed by statute or state administrative regulations.
(7) 
Preservation through microfilm. Any City officer or the head of any department or division of City government may keep and preserve public records in his or her possession by means of microfilm or other photographic reproduction method. Such records shall meet the standards for photographic reproduction set forth in W.S.A. s. 16.61(7)(a) and (b) and shall be considered original records for all purposes. Such records shall be preserved along with other files of the department or division and shall be open to public inspection and copying according to the provisions of state law and this Code.
Pursuant to W.S.A. s. 19.34, and the guidelines therein listed, the Clerk-Treasurer is authorized and directed to reproduce §§ 19.04, 19.05 and 19.06 of this chapter as a notice for the guidance of the public, prominently display same at City Hall and make copies available upon request to the general public. Said notice shall contain the following introduction:
"NOTICE OF POLICY REGARDING REQUESTS FOR INSPECTION AND/OR COPIES OF CITY OF SHAWANO RECORDS. The City of Shawano, in recognition of the fact that a representative government is dependent upon an informed electorate, has adopted the following policy regarding requests for information about the affairs of City government and the official acts of those officers and employees who represent the City."