[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Vernon 9-11-1978
by resolution. Section 98-4C amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch.
1, General Provisions, Art. I. Other amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
The Town of Vernon and its departments, divisions, offices, bureaus
and boards and commissions created or appointed by the Town Board, any special
or improvement district of the Town, other than the Library District, the
Fire District, a district corporation or district having a separately elected
governing body.
The same meaning as the term set forth in Subdivision 4 of § 86
of the Public Officers Law.
The following person is hereby designated as the records access officer
for the agency: the Town Clerk, Town Hall, Vernon, New York.
The records access officer shall be responsible for assuring that the
agency personnel:
A.Â
Comply with the requirements and provisions of the Freedom
of Information Law, the rules and regulations of the State Committee on Public
Access to Records and with this chapter in providing access to agency records.
B.Â
Maintain an up-to-date subject matter list of records,
updated twice a year, and make it available for public inspection and copying.
C.Â
Explain, in writing, reasons for denial of access and
advise requester of right to appeal, setting forth the name, title, business
address and telephone number of persons to whom the appeal may be taken.
D.Â
Upon request, calculate in advance the total cost of
the copies.
E.Â
Permit the requester to make his or her own copy without
damaging the record and without relinquishing custody of the same.
A.Â
Records of the agency are located at the Town Hall of
the Town of Vernon, County of Oneida and State of New York.
B.Â
All requests for public access to records shall be accepted
and records produced during all hours that the Town Hall is regularly open
for business.
D.Â
A request to inspect or photocopy a record shall reasonably
describe the same and shall be in writing.
The Town Supervisor shall respond to requests for a record of the name,
title, salary and public office address of every officer and employee of the
agency.
The Town Supervisor is hereby designated to hear and determine appeals
from a denial of access to agency records in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Law, rules and regulations of the State Committee on Public Access
to Records and this chapter.
A.Â
Unless another fee is prescribed by state law, the fee
for:
(1)Â
Photocopying a record not exceeding nine by 14 inches
shall be the sum of $0.25 per page.
(2)Â
Other records shall be the actual cost of reproduction,
excluding fixed cost such as salary of employee.
(3)Â
A typed or handwritten transcript shall consist of the
actual clerical time involved in making the transcript.
B.Â
There shall be no fee for the actual certification of
the copies of documents prepared pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
To prevent an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, the Committee
on Public Access to Records may promulgate guidelines for the deletion of
identifying details for specified records which are to be made available.
"Unwarranted invasion of personal privacy" includes but shall not be limited
to:
A.Â
Disclosure of such personal matters as may have been
reported in confidence to an agency or municipality which are not relevant
or essential to the ordinary work of the agency or municipality.
B.Â
Disclosure of employment, medical or credit histories
or personal references of applicants for employment, except that such records
may be disclosed when the applicant has provided written permission to permit
such disclosure.
C.Â
Disclosure of items involving medical or personal records
of a client or a patient of a hospital or medical facility.
D.Â
The sale or release of lists of names and addresses in
any department if such lists would be used for private, commercial or fund-raising
purposes.
E.Â
Disclosure of items of a personal nature when disclosure
would result in an economic or personal hardship to the subject party and
such records are not relevant or essential to the ordinary work of the department.
A copy of this chapter shall be posted by the Town Clerk on the signboard
maintained pursuant to Subdivision 6 of § 30 of the Town Law, and
a copy thereof shall also be mailed or delivered to the news media for information
purposes.