Source: https://www.ecode360.com/15687402
Timestamp: 2018-02-22 04:52:45
Document Index: 735481267

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 12132', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 67', '§ 12101', '§ 55', '§ 55']

Borough of Verona, PA Records, Public
§ 55-3 Records access.
§ 55-4 Responsibilities of Open Records Officer.
§ 55-5 Guidelines.
§ 55-6 Exempted records.
§ 55-7 Financial records.
§ 55-8 Aggregated data.
§ 55-9 Law enforcement activity.
Chapter 55: Records, Public
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Verona 12-9-2008 by Ord. No. 10-2008. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Chapter 55 : Records, Public
The Borough recognizes the importance of public records as the record of the Borough's actions and the repository of information about this Borough. The public has the right to access and procure copies of public records, with certain exceptions, subject to law, Borough policy and administrative regulations.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated. (65 P.S. § 67.102)
Any account, voucher or contract dealing with the receipt or disbursement of funds or acquisition, use or disposal of services, supplies, materials, equipment or property; or the salary or other payments or expenses paid to an officer or employee, including the individual's name and title; and a financial audit report, excluding the audit's underlying work papers.
Information, regardless of physical form or characteristics, that documents a Borough transaction or activity and is created, received or retained pursuant to law or in connection with a Borough transaction, business or activity, including a document; paper; letter; map; book; tape; photograph; film or sound recording; information stored or maintained electronically; and a data-processed or image-processed document.
The Borough's notice informing a requester of a granting of access to a record or the Borough's written notice to a requester granting, denying, or partially granting and partially denying access to a requested record.
The Borough shall make the Borough's public records available for access and duplication to a requester in accordance with law, Borough policy and administrative regulations. (65 P.S. §§ 67.302, 67.305, 67.504 and 67.701)
The Borough shall designate an Open Records Officer, who shall be responsible to: (65 P.S. § 67.502)
Ensure Borough staff are trained to perform assigned job functions relative to requests for access to records.
Upon receiving a request for access to a record, the Open Records Officer shall: (65 P.S. §§ 67.502, 67.901 and 67.1101)
Access. (65 P.S. § 67.701)
The Borough shall not limit the number of records requested. (65 P.S. § 67.302)
When responding to a request for access, the Borough is not required to create a record that does not exist nor to compile, maintain, format or organize a record in a manner which the Borough does not currently use. (65 P.S. § 67.705)
Information shall be made available to individuals with disabilities in an appropriate format, upon request and with sufficient advance notice. (42 U.S.C. § 12132; 28 CFR 35.160, 35.164)
The Borough shall post at the administration office and on the Borough's website, if the Borough maintains a website, the following information: (65 P.S. §§ 67.504, 67.505)
The form to be used to file a request, with a notation that the State Office of Open Records' form may also be used if the Borough decides to create its own form.
Borough policy, administrative regulations and procedures governing requests for access to the Borough's public records.
Written requests. (65 P.S. §§ 67.504, 67.505 and 67.703)
Content. Each request must include the following information: (65 P.S. §§ 67.701, 67.703)
The Borough shall not require an explanation of the reason for the request or the intended use of the requested record, unless otherwise required by law. (65 P.S. § 67.703)
Fees. (65 P.S. § 67.1307)
Except for the duplication fee established by the state, the Borough will approve a list of reasonable fees relative to requests for public records. The Borough shall maintain a list of applicable fees and disseminate the list to requesters.
The Manager may waive duplication fees when the requester duplicates the record or the Manager deems it is in the public interest to do so.
Borough employees shall be directed to immediately forward requests for access to public records to the Open Records Officer. (65 P.S. §§ 67.502, 67.702)
General rule. (65 P.S. § 67.901)
Extension of time. (65 P.S. §§ 67.901, 67.902)
A thirty-day extension for one of the listed reasons does not require the consent of the requester. If the response is not given by the specified date, it shall be deemed denied on the day following that date.
A requester may consent in writing to an extension that exceeds 30 days, in which case the request shall be deemed denied on the day following the date specified in the notice if the Open Records Officer has not provided a response by that date.
A public record shall be provided to the requester in the medium requested if it exists in that form; otherwise, it shall be provided in its existing medium. However, the Borough is not required to permit use of its computers. (65 P.S. § 67.701)
The Open Records Officer may respond to a records request by notifying the requester that the record is available through publicly accessibly electronic means or that the Borough shall provide access to inspect the record electronically. If the requester, within 30 days following receipt of the Borough's notice, submits a written request to have the record converted to paper, the Borough shall provide access in printed form within five days of receipt of the request for conversion to paper. (65 P.S. §§ 67.701, 67.704)
A public record that the Borough does not possess but is possessed by a third party with whom the Borough has contracted to perform a governmental function and which directly relates to that governmental function shall be considered a public record of the Borough. When the Borough contracts with such a third party, the Borough shall require the contractor to agree in writing to comply with requests for such records and to provide the Borough with the requested record in a timely manner to allow the Borough to comply with law. (65 P.S. § 67.506)
If the Open Records Officer determines that a public record contains information both subject to and not subject to access, the Open Records Officer shall grant access to the information subject to access and deny access to the information not subject to access. The Open Records Officer shall redact from the record the information that is not subject to access. The Open Records Officer shall not deny access to a record if information is able to be redacted. (65 P.S. § 67.706)
If the Open Records Officer responds to a requester that a copy of the requested record is available for delivery at the administration office and the requester does not retrieve the record within 60 days of the Borough's response, the Borough shall dispose of the copy and retain any fees paid to date. (65 P.S. § 67.905)[1]
Notification to third parties. (65 P.S. § 67.707)
The Open Records Officer shall notify a third party of record request if the requested record contains a trade secret or confidential proprietary information, in accordance with law and administrative regulations.
Denial of request. (65 P.S. §§ 67.901, 67.903)
If the Open Record Officer denies a request for access to a record, whether in whole or in part, a written response shall be sent within five business days of receipt of the request. The response denying the request shall include the following:
Specific reasons for denial, including a citation of supporting legal authority.[2]
Name, title, business address, business telephone number, and signature of the Open Records Officer on whose authority the denial is issued.[3]
Requests. (65 P.S. § 67.506)
Information that is not subject to access and is redacted from a public record shall be deemed a denial. (65 P.S. §§ 67.706, 67.903)
If a written request for access to a record is denied or deemed denied, the requester may file an appeal with the state's Office of Open Records within 15 business days of the mailing date of the Open Records Officer's response or deemed denial. (65 P.S. § 67.1101)
The following public records shall be maintained by the Borough for the length of time listed below:
Activity account records
Contracts with a value of more than $100,000
Deeds, real estate sales agreement and other documents defining any interest of the Borough covering its interest in real property
Inventory-equipment
Notes, mortgages and bonds
Right-To-Know Law: 65 P.S. § 67.101 et seq.
Americans with Disabilities Act: 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.
Accessibility to Communications, Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations: 28 CFR 35.160, 35.164
Borough policy
Public safety. When the disclosure of a record maintained in connection with the military, homeland security, national defense, law enforcement or other public safety activity would reasonably be likely to jeopardize or threaten public safety or public protection activity, or a record that is designated classified by an appropriate federal or state military authority.[1]
Safety/security of facilities. When the disclosure of a record creates a reasonable likelihood of endangering the safety or physical security of a building, public utility, resource, infrastructure, facility, or information storage system, which may include:
List of infrastructure, resources and significant special events, including those defined by the federal government in the National Infrastructures Protections Plan, that are deemed critical due to their nature and result from risk analysis; threat assessments; consequences assessments; antiterrorism protective measures and plans; counterterrorism measures and plans; and security needs assessments.
Computer systems. When the disclosure of records regarding computer hardware, software and networks, including administrative and technical records, would reasonably be likely to jeopardize computer security.
Medical information. When the disclosure of a record of an individual's medical, psychiatric or psychological history or disability status, including an evaluation; consultation; prescription; diagnosis or treatment; results of tests, to include drug tests; enrollment in a health care program or program designed for participation by persons with disabilities, including vocational rehabilitation; worker's compensation and unemployment compensation; or related information would disclose individually identifiable health information.
Labor relations/negotiations/arbitration.
Disclosure of a record pertaining to strategy or negotiations relating to labor relations or collective bargaining and related arbitration proceedings. In the case of the arbitration of a dispute or grievance under a collective bargaining agreement, disclosure of an exhibit entered into evidence at an arbitration proceeding or a transcript of the arbitration or the opinion.
This exemption does not apply to a final or executed contract or agreement between the parties in a collective bargaining agreement, or to the final award or order of an arbitrator in a dispute or grievance procedure.
Predecisional drafts. Disclosure of the draft of a bill, ordinance, regulation, statement of policy, management directive, or their amendments, prepared by or for the Borough.
Predecisional deliberations. Disclosure of a record that reflects:
The internal predecisional deliberations of the Borough, its Council members, employees or officials or predecisional deliberations between Council members, employees, or officials and members, employees or officials of another agency, including predecisional deliberations relating to a budget recommendation, legislative proposal, legislative amendment, contemplated or proposed policy or course of action, or any research, memos or other documents used in the predecisional deliberations, subject to law governing open meetings. Public records do include a record of any of the above that is not exempt from access by law and which is presented to a quorum for deliberation in accordance with law governing open meetings; a written or Internet application or document that has been submitted to request commonwealth funds; and the results of public opinion surveys, polls, focus groups, marketing research or similar efforts designed to measure public opinion.
Personal notes/working papers. Disclosure of notes and working papers prepared by or for a Borough public official or employee used solely for that official's or employee's own personal use, including telephone message slips, routing slips, and other materials that do not have an official purpose.
Donor identity. Disclosure of records that would disclose the identity of an individual who lawfully makes a donation to the Borough, unless the donation is intended for or restricted to providing remuneration or personal tangible benefit to a Borough public official or employee, including lists of potential donors compiled by the Borough to pursue donations, donor profile informational, or personal identifying information relating to a donor.
Disclosure of a record of the Borough or an agency relating to or resulting in a criminal investigation, including:
A record that if disclosed would reveal the institution, progress or result of a criminal investigation, except the filing of criminal charges; deprive an individual of the right to a fair trial or impartial adjudication; impair the ability to locate a defendant or codefendant; hinder an agency's ability to secure a arrest, prosecution or conviction; or endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.
This exemption does not apply to information contained in a police blotter as defined in law and utilize or maintained by the State Police, local, campus, transit or port authority police department or other law enforcement agency, or in a traffic report, except as provided by law.[2]
A record that includes the identity of a confidential source, including individuals subject to the Whistleblower Law.[3]
A record that if disclosed would: reveal the institution, progress or result of a Borough investigation, except the imposition of a fine or civil penalty, the suspension, modification or revocation of a license, permit, registration, certification or similar authorization issued by an agency, or an executed settlement unless the agreement is determined to be confidential by a court; deprive a person of the right to an impartial adjudication; constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy; hinder an agency's ability to secure an administrative or civil sanction; or endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.
Draft minutes. Disclosure of draft minutes of any Borough meeting until the next regularly scheduled Council meeting, minutes of an executive session, and any record of discussions held in executive session.
Real estate appraisals/feasibility studies:
Disclosure of the contents of real estate appraisal, engineering or feasibility estimate, environmental reviews, audits or evaluations made for or by the Borough relative to the leasing, acquiring or disposing of real property or an interest in real property; the purchase of public supplies or equipment included in the real estate transaction; and construction projects.
Library records. Disclosure of the library and archive circulation and order records of an identifiable individual or groups of individuals.
Precontract award documents. Disclosure of a proposal pertaining to Borough procurement or disposal of supplies, service or construction prior to the award of the contract or prior to the opening and rejection of all bids; financial information of a bidder or offerer requested in an invitation for bid or request for proposals to demonstrate the bidder's or offerer's economic capability; or the identify of members, notes and other records of Borough proposal evaluation committees established under law relating to competitive sealed proposals.
Insurance communications:
Disclosure of a record or information relating to a communication between the Borough and its insurance carrier, administrative service organization or risk management office.
Social services. Disclosure of a record or information identifying an individual who applies for or receives social services, the type of social services received by an individual, an individual's application to receive social services or eligibility to receive social services.
General Assembly correspondence. Disclosure of correspondence between an individual and member of the General Assembly and records accompanying the correspondence that would identify an individual requesting assistance or constituent services, except for correspondence between a member of the General Assembly and a principal or lobbyist under law.
The listed exemptions do not apply to financial records, except that the Open Records Officer shall redact the portions of a financial record protected under exemptions in § 55-6A(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (16) or (17).
The listed exemptions do not apply to aggregated data maintained or received by the Borough, except for data protected under exemptions in § 55-6A(1), (2), (3), (4) or (5).