A request for public records can be initiated: In person; By mail, email, or fax; or
Burlington City Hall, 833 South Spruce Street, Burlington, WA 98233; Or contact the City of Burlington by phone: 360-755-0531; Please be aware that email delivery may be delayed or fail in limited circumstances. If you do not receive a response within five (5) business days, please call 360-755-0531 . Requirements. Public Records requests must include:
Within five business days of receipt of the request, the public records officer or designee will do one of the following: Make the records available for inspection or copying. Send copies to requestor if payment has been received. Provide a reasonable estimate when records will be available. Contact requestor to request clarification.
You can contact the public records ombudsman by sending an email to [email protected] or by calling (360) 753-6200. [ Back to Top] Other Resources Attorney General’s Open Government Website Municipal Research Services Center Public Records FAQ Washington Coalition for Open Government Washington State Legislature
The City Attorney's Office serves the public interest by providing the City of Burlington with affordable, high quality proactive legal advice and representation in order to avoid unnecessary litigation. The city attorney provides legal assistance to the city, including: Drafting or approval of legal documents, contracts, ordinances, and ...
How do I request a copy of a public document? Please email your request to [email protected]. Include your name, phone number, email address, and a description of the records you are requesting. The request must be for a specific identifiable record or series of records.
Under state public records act, records open to the public for a fee with personal identifying information removed. 911 calls do not appear to be confidential unless they are for the purpose of reporting alleged criminal conduct.Jul 18, 2012
The Public Records Act (PRA) is a law of the U.S. state of Washington requiring public access to all records and materials from state and local agencies. It was originally passed as a ballot initiative by voters in 1972 and revised several times by the state legislature.
Definition of a Public Record - The PRA defines a "public record" to include any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or ...
Public Records requests must include: 1 Name, address, and contact information of the requestor 2 Description of public records adequate to locate the records 3 Date of request
Or contact the City of Burlington by phone: 360-755-0531. Please be aware that email delivery may be delayed or fail in limited circumstances. If you do not receive a response within five (5) business days, please call 360-755-0531.
The Public Records Act and other statutes, list types of documents exempt (PDF) from public inspection and copying.
If a requestor has not reviewed or claimed records within 30 days of notice that records are available or fails to make payment, the public records officer may close the request.
A requestor may send a written petition to the public records officer in order to have any disclosure denial reviewed. The Attorney's Office Civil Division will consider petitions and affirm or reverse the denial within two business days following the receipt of the petition by that office.
While the state strongly encourages disclosure of public records, state law does allow for some information to be withheld. These “exemptions” are listed in the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). Other exemptions are found elsewhere in Washington law, and in federal law.
A written request helps to identify specific records you wish to inspect. Many agencies have a public records request form they will ask you to use. After your inspection of records, you may identify those records you desire and, if copying does not disrupt agency operations, copies can be promptly made for you.
If an agency denies your request, you may ask the agency to conduct an internal review of its denial within two business days after denial. At that time, the agency’s denial is considered final and you can seek court review or, in some cases, review by the Attorney General’s Office.
While, in general, an agency must provide access to existing public records in its possession, an agency is not required to collect information or organize data to create a record not existing at the time of the request. The more precisely you an identify the record you seek, the more responsive the agency can be.
The model rules are available via the link above or by calling (360) 753-6200.
The agency may notify persons to whom the record pertains that release of the record has been requested. The agency, or a person to whom the record applies, may ask a court to prevent an inspection of the record. If a court order preventing disclosure is sought, the records request is on hold until further order of the court.
The Office of Attorney General will independently review your request and the agency’s denial, and provide you with a written opinion as to whether the record you requested is exempt from disclosure. This review by the Attorney General is not binding on the agency or upon you.
The City Attorney's Office serves the public interest by providing the City of Burlington with affordable, high quality proactive legal advice and representation in order to avoid unnecessary litigation.
In addition to the civil matters described above, the City Attorney's Office handles prosecution of criminal and civil infractions charged in the Burlington Municipal Court.
If you are low income and need assistance and the matter is not a city issue, you can obtain free legal assistance by contacting CLEAR or Community Action of Skagit County. These agencies are not affiliated with the City of Burlington.
For information concerning any legal matter involving the city, including criminal cases, contact the City Attorney's Office and you will be directed to the appropriate party.
County offices and departments shall make public records available for inspection and copying in accordance with the Washington State Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) . To this end, county assessor offices will provide to the public the fullest assistance to ensure access to records containing information about the conduct of government at all levels, while also being mindful of individuals' privacy rights (as defined by RCW 42.56.050) and the desirability of the efficient administration of government.
King County has an online system to process public records requests. Using this system allows us to respond to requester faster and more efficiently. To use this system, please create an account in Public Records System, and submit your request.