FAQ

Is there a cost for public records?

Florida law authorizes municipalities to recoup their costs of providing public records. If the public record request requires more than fifteen (15) minutes of employee time (including the time to gather, copy, scan and/or print the requested documents, or redact information exempted by Florida Statutes, if necessary), the requester will be charged for that time at the lowest hourly rate of the class of employee(s) involved.

If the Town anticipates that there will be a significant cost to provide the requested public record, the Town will provide an estimated cost for the public records. The requester must acknowledge the estimated costs and authorize the Town to proceed before document production will begin. Once the request is complete, the requestor must pay the Town before the documents will be provided.

What are some ways that I can streamline the public records request process?

There are some things that you can consider when you make a public records request that can decrease the response time and reduce production costs.

• A significant amount of information is available on the Town’s website.
• Be specific; avoid overly broad requests.
• Provide dates ranges of requested public records, especially on emails and correspondence.

How long does it take to receive the requested public records?

The Town Clerk responds to public records requests as quickly as possible. However, requests for a large number of documents, or requests that require significant staff time may result in a longer response time. The volume of public record requests may also slow the response time.

What if I have a question about the public records request process?

The Town Clerk is responsible for coordinating the public records requests.

What records are exempt?

Some records are considered exempt and/or confidential under Florida law and therefore, not subject to disclosure in response to a public records request. Information about records that are exempt from the Public Records Act can be found within Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.