FOIA

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

The current board policy is linked here PDF DocumentFOIA Policy

FOIA Coordinator: Christina Wetherell, cwetherell@newaygo.net

The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility to maintain public records of this District and to make such records available to residents of Michigan for inspection and reproduction.

The public records of this District include any writing or other means of recording or retaining meaningful content prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the District, its Board, officers, or employees, subject to certain exemptions according to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). 

Any person may make a written request for any public records of the District. The person may inspect, copy, or receive copies of the public record requested. The District shall respond to such requests within five (5) working days after receipt unless otherwise agreed to in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. 

Any individual may purchase copies of the District's public records upon payment of a fee. No original public record may be removed from the office in which it is maintained except by a Board officer or employee in the course of the performance of his/her duties. 

Fees

The District shall charge a fee to cover actual costs of providing access to and/or copies of public records in accordance with the law, except that disclosure to any of the following person(s) in the public interest and shall be exempt from the first $20.00 of fees incurred in a school fiscal year.

a.) A news media organization for dissemination to the public;

b.) A member of the Board

c.) A minor for use in a school or community organization civics project (ex. Boy Scouts Citizenship merit badge); and

d.) Other person(s) designated by the Board

Appeals

If a request for disclosure of record(s) is denied, procedures for appeal of the decision shall be provided along with the denial.