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Village of Woodridge, NY
Sullivan County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (2) Index
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Woodridge as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 5-4-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992 (Ch. 107 of the 1992 Code)]
A. 
The people's right to know the process of government decisionmaking and the documents and statistics leading to determinations is basic to our society. Access to such information should not be thwarted by shrouding it with the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality.
B. 
These regulations provide information concerning the procedures by which records may be obtained.
C. 
Personnel shall furnish to the public the information and records required by the Freedom of Information Law,[1] as well as records otherwise available by law.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Public Officers Law § 84 et seq.
D. 
Any conflicts among laws governing public access to records shall be construed in favor of the widest possible availability of public records.
A. 
The Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring compliance with the regulations herein and designates the following person as records access officer: the Village Clerk, Village of Woodridge, New York.
B. 
The records access officer is responsible for ensuring appropriate agency response to public requests for access to records. The designation of the records access officer shall not be construed to prohibit officials who have in the past been authorized to make records or information available to the public from continuing to do so.
C. 
The records access officer shall ensure that personnel:
(1) 
Maintain an up-to-date subject matter list.
(2) 
Assist the requester in identifying requested records, if necessary.
(3) 
Upon locating the records, take one of the following actions:
(a) 
Make records available for inspection.
(b) 
Deny access to the records, in whole or in part, and explain, in writing, the reasons therefor.
(4) 
Upon request for copies of records, take one of the following actions:
(a) 
Make a copy available upon payment of or an offer to pay the established fees, if any, in accordance with § 97-8.
(b) 
Permit the requester to copy those records.
(5) 
Upon request, certify that a record is a true copy.
(6) 
Upon failure to locate records, certify that:
(a) 
The Village is not the custodian for such records; or
(b) 
The records of which the Village is a custodian cannot be found after diligent search.
Records shall be available for public inspection and copying at the Village Clerk's office, Village of Woodridge, New York.
Requests for public access to records shall be accepted and records produced during all hours that the Clerk's office is regularly open for business.
A. 
A written request may be required, but oral requests may be accepted when records are readily available.
B. 
A response shall be given within five business days of receipt of any request reasonably describing the record or records sought.
C. 
A request shall reasonably describe the record or records sought. Whenever possible, a person requesting records should supply information regarding dates, file designations or other information that may help to describe the records sought.
D. 
If the records access officer does not provide or deny access to the record sought within five business days of receipt of a request, he or she shall furnish a written acknowledgment of receipt of the request and a statement of the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied. If access to records is neither granted nor denied within 10 business days after the date of acknowledgment of receipt of a request, the request may be construed as a denial of access that may be appealed.
A. 
The records access officer shall maintain a reasonably detailed current list, by subject matter, of all records in his or her possession, whether or not records are available pursuant to § 87, Subdivision 2, of the Public Officers Law.
B. 
The subject matter list shall be sufficiently detailed to permit identification of the category of the record sought.
C. 
The subject matter list shall be updated not less than twice per year. The most recent update shall appear on the first page of the subject matter list.
A. 
Denial of access to records shall be in writing, stating the reason therefor and advising the requester of the right to appeal to the body established to hear appeals.
B. 
If requested records are not provided promptly, as required in § 97-5D of this article, such failure shall also be deemed a denial of access.
C. 
The Mayor shall hear appeals for denial of access to records under the Freedom of Information Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Public Officers Law § 84 et seq.
D. 
The time for deciding an appeal by the person designated to hear appeals shall commence upon receipt of a written appeal identifying:
(1) 
The date of the appeal.
(2) 
The date and location of the request for records.
(3) 
The records to which the requester was denied access.
(4) 
Whether the denial of access was in writing or due to failure to provide records promptly as required by § 97-5D.
(5) 
The name and return address of the requester.
E. 
The person designated to hear appeals shall inform the requester of his decision, in writing, within 10 business days of receipt of an appeal.
F. 
The person designated to hear appeals shall immediately forward to the Committee on Open Government copies of all appeals upon receipt and the ensuing determination thereon.
Fees shall be set by resolution of the Board of Trustees from time to time.[1] The current fee schedule is available at the Village Clerk's office.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 200, Fees.
A notice containing the title or name and business address of the records access officers and appeals body and the location where records can be seen or copies may be made shall be posted in a conspicuous location wherever records are kept.