[Adopted 8-3-2015 by Res.
No. 2015-07]
This article establishes the applicable rules and regulations
for filing and processing requests to the Town of Rock Hall for inspection
and/or copying of the Town's public records in accordance with
the Maryland Public Information Act, Annotated Code of Maryland, General
Provisions Article, § 4-101 et seq., as amended from time
to time (the "MPIA"). The rules and regulations set forth in this
article supplement the MPIA. In case of any conflict between any rule
or regulation in this article and the MPIA, the MPIA shall control.
All terms used herein that are defined in § 4-101 of the
MPIA shall be ascribed the meaning set forth therein.
It is the policy of the Town of Rock Hall to facilitate access
to public records when access is allowed by law and to minimize cost
and time delays to requesters.
The Clerk-Treasurer is designated as the official custodian
of the Town's public records.
Any person or governmental unit may request to inspect or copy
the Town's public records.
Unless prohibited by law, the custodian may provide notice of
a request for inspection or copying of any public record of the Town
to any person who, in the judgment of the custodian, could be adversely
affected by disclosure of that public record. The custodian may consider
the views of the potentially adversely affected person before deciding
whether to disclose the public record.
If a requested public record has been lost or destroyed, the
custodian shall promptly:
A. Notify the requester that the public record has been destroyed or
lost; and
B. If known, explain the reason why the public record has been destroyed
or lost.
Except where inspection would interfere with the other duties
of the custodian, a requester may inspect public record(s) that the
requester is entitled to inspect during the normal working hours of
the Town. Inspection shall occur at the Town Office, located at 5585
Main Street, Rock Hall, Maryland 21661, unless the custodian, taking
into account the requester's wishes, determines that another
location is more suitable and convenient.