Open Records Fees in Iowa Public Offices Spark Debate
An Iowa investigation shows wide variation in copying costs for incident reports across counties cities and school districts. While many offices offer free or low cost copies the price range spans from 3 cents per page to 20 dollars per document with flat fees common in police departments. Officers cite retrieval and processing costs though officials urge lower or no charge for small requests. Public offices say goodwill and accessibility justify cheaper or free copies for few pages.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dalton
Iowa
Delwein
Louisa
Delwood
Iowa City
Cedar Rapids
Grundy Center
Rich Riesberg
Government of
John Jones
Des Moines
State Ombudsman’s Office
Ombudsman’s Office
Burlington
Tama County
Dennis Kucera
Gazette
Sheriffs Office
Kucera
Sheriffs Department
LeMars
Stu Dekkenga
Janet Borholm
Ckrantz
Dmreg
Citizens fight for access to public records
Citizens press for FOIA access as $50 million for an indoor rain forest project in Coralville remains unclear. The piece cites Cedar Rapids and Iowa City officials, FOIA advocates, and university experts arguing open records laws serve the public, not just journalists.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Steve Gravelle
Gazette
Pringdale
Clara Oleson
Coralville
Oleson
U.S. Department of Energy
Chicago
Iowa
Cedar Rapids
Carol Martin
Martin
Springdale
University of Iowa
Iowa Environmental Project
FOIA
Jane Slinger
City Hall
Sample Iowa public records request letter
A model letter to a Iowa government agency requesting public records under Chapter 22. It outlines specifying records, timing for response, copying fees, and contact details. Includes guidance on sending copies to agency attorneys and notes the source as the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa
Freedom of Information Council
Iowa FOI audit 2005 probes local government openness
The Gazette and other Iowa papers conducted a state wide open records audit on February 10 and 11 2005 asking for concealed weapons permits travel and expense claims sheriff property tax statements building permits and school district contracts for the largest city in each county. Journalists used undercover methods to avoid recognition and to test compliance with the Iowa open records law.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cedar Rapids
Iowa City
Johnson County
Dick Fredericks
Palo
Fredericks
Linn County
the Gazette
Des Moines Register
Ames Tribune
Burlington Hawk Eye
Council Bluffs Daily
Dubuque Telegraph Herald
Fort Dodge Messenger
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Mason City Globe- Gazette
N’west Iowa Review of Sheldon
Ottumwa Courier
Quad- City Times of
Davenport
Sioux City Journal
Storm Lake Times
Waterloo
Cedar Falls Courier
Drake University Journalism
Iowa
Iowa Department of Education
Mark Bowden
Gazette
Mark.bowden
Gazettecommunications
Randy Evans
Register
Dmreg
Net Bonus FOI Coverage and Iowa Sunshine Advisories
A research summary from the statewide FOI audit project highlights Net Bonus coverage on GazetteOnline. It includes data samples from the Iowa Open Records Law and tips for filing FOIA requests. The report notes Attorney General Tom Miller's Sunshine Advisories and provides a sample FOIA request letter for students.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
GazetteOnline.com
Drake University
Iowa
Tom Miller
Public Officials Travel and Records Inspection Rates Decline
A survey shows 97 percent of county auditors allowed inspection of travel records for top officials, down from 99 percent in 2000. County treasurers 90 percent, down from 100. City building permits 87 percent, down from 98. County sheriffs 71 percent, up from 42. Police departments in large cities or sheriff offices in counties without police departments 70 percent, up from 58. School districts in largest cities 82 percent. Records not sought in 2000.
Also Mentioned on This Page
Miller
Sheriffs
County Auditors
Dennis
Tama
Nancy Quellhorst
Department of Energy
Slinger
Gravelle
Gazettecommunications.com
Jim Slosiarek
Lowa
Iowa Foi
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!