FOIL Description

How to Make a FOIL Request

Why might you be denied access

How to Appeal When You've Been Denied Access

Foil Fee Schedule

Description:   The Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law Article 6) is New York State's principal statute on providing for public access to the records of government. The Records Access Officer is responsible for ensuring appropriate agency response to public requests for access to records. The Town Clerk Office is the Records Access Officer for the Town of LeRay "Record" means any information kept, held, filed, produced or reproduced by, with, or for the department, in any physical form whatsoever including, but not limited to, reports, statements, examinations, memoranda, opinions, folders, files, books, manuals, pamphlets, forms, papers, designs, drawings, maps, photos, letters, microfilms, computer tapes or disks, rules, regulations or codes.

How to Make a FOIL Request: If you wish to access a record under the FOIL, you must make your request in writing. Please be as specific as possible in describing the records in which you are interested. Within five business days of the receipt of a written request, we will send a written acknowledgement that we received the request. Please send your inquiry via land mail, Fax or E-mail to:                                       Town Clerk                                        Foil Request                                        8650 LeRay Street                                        Evans Mills  NY  13637-3191                                        Phone #  315-629-4052

Why might you be denied access:   Certain records or portions thereof are excepted from disclosure under authority of Public Officers Law Section 87.2 (a-1). These records include those which: are specifically exempted from disclosure under state or federal statute, if disclosed would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, if disclosed would impair present or imminent contract awards or collective bargaining negotiations, are trade secrets or are submitted to the department or are derived from information obtained from a commercial enterprise and which, if disclosed, would cause substantial injury to the competitive position of the subject enterprise, are compiled for law enforcement purposes and which if disclosed would interfere with law enforcement investigations or judicial proceedings, deprive a person of the right to a fair trial or impartial adjudication, identify a confidential source or disclose confidential information regarding a criminal investigation, or reveal criminal investigative techniques or procedures, except routine techniques and procedures, if disclosed would endanger the life or safety of any person, are inter-agency or intra-agency materials which are not statistical or factual tabulations or data, instructions to staff which affect the public or are final agency policies or determinations, are external audits, including audits performed by the comptroller and the federal government computer codes, are examination questions or answers which are requested prior to the final administration of such questions. A denial of access must be in writing, stating the reason for denial and advising your right to an appeal.

How to Appeal When You've Been Denied Access:   If you've been denied access by the Records Access Officer, you will be notified by them in writing. You have a right to appeal, but you must do so within 30 days. An appeal must be filed in writing and mailed or faxed to the Town Clerk listed at the top of this page.

Foil Fee Schedule:   There is a charge of $0.25 per page for copies of documents and/or computer printout pages. There is also a charge of $1.00 per page for mailing labels (if available). The fee for transferring materials (if available electronically) to a magnetic tape cartridge or CD-ROM is $60.00 per cartridge or CD-ROM. A blank cartridge or CD-ROM must be supplied with the request. The fee for transferring materials (if available electronically) to a diskette if $6.00 per diskette. If the request involves more than one diskette, blank diskettes must be supplied with the request.