Source: http://m.richmondgov.com/common/foia.aspx
Timestamp: 2018-01-20 16:48:41
Document Index: 338349636

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2']

Richmond VA > Common Pages
Richmond VA > Citywide Common Items > Freedom of Information Act
The Rights of Requesters and
the Responsibilities of the City of Richmond
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), § 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, guarantees citizens of the Commonwealth and representatives of the media access to public records held by public bodies, public officials, and public employees.
Making a Request for records from the City of Richmond
Your request must ask for existing records or documents. FOIA gives you a right to inspect or copy records; it does not apply to a situation where you are asking general questions, nor does it require the city to create a record that does not exist.
You may choose to receive electronic records in any format used by the city in the regular course of business.
City Departments' Responsibilities in Responding to Your Request
The department must respond to your request within five working days of receiving it. "Day One" is considered the day after your request is received. The five-day period does not include weekends or holidays.
The reason behind your request for public records from the department is irrelevant, and you do not have to state why you want the records before we respond to your request. FOIA does, however, allow the department to require you to provide your name and legal address.
FOIA requires that the department make one of the following responses to your request within the five-day time period:
Withhold all of the records that you have requested, because all of the records are subject to a specific statutory exemption. If all of the records are being withheld, the department must send you a response in writing. That writing must identify the volume and subject matter of the records being withheld, and state the specific section of the Code of Virginia that allows us to withhold the records.
Provide some of the records that you have requested, but withhold other records. The department cannot withhold an entire record if only a portion of it is subject to an exemption. In that instance, the department may redact the portion of the record that may be withheld, and must provide you with the remainder of the record. The department must provide you with a written response stating the specific section of the Code of Virginia that allows portions of the requested records to be withheld.
Inform you in writing that the requested records cannot be found in the department's possession or do not exist (i.e., the department does not have the records you want). However, if the department knows that another city department or another public body has the requested records, the department must include contact information in the response to you.
If it is practically impossible for the department to respond to your request within the five-day period, it must state this in writing, explaining the conditions that make the response impossible. This will allow the department seven additional working days to respond to your request, giving it a total of 12 working days to respond to your request.
If you make a request for a very large number of records, and the cepartment feels that it cannot provide the records to you within 12 working days without disrupting its other organizational responsibilities, it may petition the court for additional time to respond to your request. However, FOIA requires that the department make a reasonable effort to reach an agreement with you concerning the production or the records before going to court to ask for more time.
A public body may make reasonable charges not to exceed its actual cost incurred in accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the requested records. No public body shall impose any extraneous, intermediary, or surplus fees or expenses to recoup the general costs associated with creating or maintaining records or transacting the general business of the public body.
Any duplicating fee charged by a public body shall not exceed the actual cost of duplication. All charges for the supplying of requested records shall be estimated in advance at the request of the citizen as set forth in subsection F of § 2.2-3704 of the Code of Virginia.
You may have to pay for the records that you request from the department as FOIA allows the department to charge for the actual costs of responding to FOIA requests. This would include items like staff time spent searching for the requested records, copying costs, or any other costs directly related to supplying the requested records. It cannot include general overhead costs.
If the department estimates that it will cost more than $200 to respond to your request, it may require you to pay a deposit, not to exceed the amount of the estimate, before proceeding with your request. The five days that the department has to respond to your request does not include the time between when the department requests a deposit and when you provide such deposit.
You may request that the department estimate in advance the charges for supplying the records that you have requested. This will allow you to know about any costs upfront, or give you the opportunity to modify your request in an attempt to lower the estimated costs.
If you owe the city money from a previous FOIA request that has remained unpaid for more than 30 days, the department may require payment of the past-due bill before it will respond to your new FOIA request.
The following is a general description of the types of records held by the city:
Personnel records concerning city employees and officials
Records specific to the operations of the various city departments
If you are unsure whether the department has the record(s) you seek, please contact the department's FOIA Officer.
Commonly used exemptions, § 2.2-3705.1
The Code of Virginia allows any public body to withhold certain records from public disclosure. Commonly used exemptions include the following:
Personnel records, § 2.2-3705.1 (1) of the Code of Virginia
Vendor proprietary information, § 2.2-3705.1 (6)
Records relating to the negotiation and award of a contract, prior to a contract being awarded, § 2.2-3705.1 (12)
City FOIA Policy
The city's policy regarding responding to requests for records is Administrative Regulation 3.1.
City Department FOIA Officers
To request records from the city, you may direct your request to applicable city department through the FOIA Officers for such departments as listed below.
In addition, the Freedom of Information Advisory Council is available to answer any questions you may have about FOIA. The Council may be contacted by e-mail at foiacouncil@dls.virginia.gov, or by phone at (804)225-3056 or [toll free] at (866)448-4100.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Rogers, Keith Jr Cuffee-Glenn, Selena
Mayor's Office Jim,Nolan
Budget Asante, Jennifer Brown, Jay
Public Works North, Sharon Vincent, Bobby
Procurement Banks, Brittany
Public Utilities Taylor, Johnetta Steidel, Bob
Animal Care Leinberger, Rob Peters, Christie
Human Resources Woodson, LaShawn Jones, Korita
Human Services Gilliam, Dreana Jackson, Debbie
Economic Development Blackwell, Alecia Dunlap, Doug
Planning & Development Review Marks, Isaac Olinger, Mark
Police Shipman, Kent Durham, Alfred
Fire & Emergency Services Thomas, Tracy Carter, Melvin
Emergency Communications Maye, Tory Willoughby, Steve
Social Services Raring, Sarah Giles, Shunda
Finance Duval, Jim Wack, John
Community Wealth Building Mastroianni, Christina Gordon, Reginald
Information Technology Florenz, Paul Todd, Charles
Justice Services Gilliam, Dreana Fleming, Rufus
Library Dishon, Clay Firestine, Scott
Minority Business Development Bailey, LaQuiana Foster, Patricia
& Community Facilities Tamara Jenkins Morton, Deborah
Press Secretary Jim,Nolan
Retirement Friar, Nina Griffin, Leo
City Council Skinner, Steve
Assessor Bloomfield. Melvin McKeithen, Richie
Auditor Main Number
(804)646-5616 Dalal, Umesh
City Attorney Gibson, Neil Jackson, Allen
Emergency Management McLean, Anthony McLean, Anthony
Voter Registration Showalter, Kirk Showalter, Kirk
City Treasurer Wilder, Eunice Wilder, Eunice
City Clerk Reid, Candice Reid, Candice