Open Records Request

Who Can Request a Public Record?

Except as otherwise provided in Sec. 1.51 of the City of Dodgeville Municipal Code of Ordinances and §19.36 Wis. Stats., any person has a right to inspect a record and to have made or receive a copy of any record as provided in Sec. 1.51(5) of the Dodgeville Code and §19.35 Wis. Stats.

Who is Responsible for Public Records?

In accordance with Sec. 1.51 (3) of the Dodgeville Municipal Code and §19.33 of the Wis. Statutes., the City Clerk acts as legal records custodian for the City of Dodgeville, excluding Police and Fire Departments whose custodians shall be the Police Chief and the Fire Chief, respectively. The following individuals, or respective designees thereof, shall be the legal custodian of records for the corresponding offices or authorities.

• General City Records . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . Clerk/Treasurer
• Building & Zoning Records.. . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Inspector/Assistant Director of Public Works
• Assessment Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . Associated Appraisal Consultants, Inc.
• Public Works Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Public Works 
• Police Department Records . . . . . . . . . . . . Police Chief
• Fire Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .  . . . .Fire Chief
• Ambulance Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ambulance Chief
• Library Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Library Director
• Recreation Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recreation Director
• Swimming Pool Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Public Works

What Can You Request?

A public record is a record of an authority.  In the case of the City of Dodgeville, an authority is defined as an elected official, department, board, commission or council, or any other sub-units of government.  A record is any material on which written, drawn, printed, spoken, visual, or electromagnetic information is electronically generated or stored data is recorded or preserved regardless of physical form or characteristics, which has been created or kept by an authority.

To provide a sufficient open records request, you should be able to:

• reasonably describe the record or information you would like to view (Wis. Stat 19.35(1)(h))
• allow reasonable time -- responses should not be vague and will be answered as soon as practicable;
• the request cannot burden the custodian so that normal office functions are impaired
• the custodian should not have to guess what you are requesting
• the law allows access to records, not answers to questions

Drafts, notes, preliminary computations that are prepared by the originator for their own use or prepared by an employee for someone for whom they work along with purely personal property do not qualify as a public record.

Where and When Can I Request Public Records?

Requests to inspect public records may be made to the Clerks Office at City Hall. Public records may be requested, inspected and/or copied during normal business hours (8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday, excluding holidays). In some cases, records may require retrieval and therefore may not be immediately available for inspection. Every effort will be made to respond to a public records request as soon as is practicable and without delay. Please fill out the Public Records Request Form below.

How Much Does a Request Cost?

The cost of printing or photocopying records shall be $0.25 per page. In some cases, such costs may go beyond simply copying a requested record. In these cases, the records custodian may charge for any and all costs associated with complying with a public records request up to and including applicable shipping, mailing and hourly wages of the records custodian or a designee thereof (see Sec. 1.51 (5)(f) of the Dodgeville Code). Per §19.35(3) (f) of the Wis. Stats., a prepayment of such costs associated with a public records request in excess of $5.00 may be required prior to processing the request.