Welcome to the Village of Arthur Illinois

Freedom of Information Policy (FOIA)

Freedom of Information Policy (FOIA)

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a state statute that provides the public the right to access government documents and records.  The premise behind FOIA is that the public has a right to know what the government is doing.  It is the policy of the Village of Arthur to provide assistance in obtaining that information.

 

The purpose of the Village Board of Arthur, Illinois is the administration of the Village of Arthur and provision of services to its residents.  The Village President and Board of Trustees exercises control over policies and procedures.


 The organizational chart is as follows:

 

Village President
|
Comptroller--Board of Trustees--Clerk
|
Committees
:
Community Relations/Tourism, Finance, Police, Street & Alley, Water & Sewer, Human Resources, Planning & Zoning Board of Appeals


 

Current Board members are:
Village President - Rod Randall
Clerk - Rhonda Rhodes

Trustees - Matt Bernius, Mike Hilgenberg, Christy Miller, Dave Tiffan,

Jim Fleming, and Todd Dukeman

 


How to obtain information under FOIA:

 

All requests to inspect, copy, or certify public records must be submitted to the Village in writing and in English.  The Village of Arthur encourages Requestors to submit their requests on the convenient form provided by the Village.  This form is available at Village Hall and on this website. 

Required Information:

 

  • The Requestor's name;
  • Either the Requestor's mailing address, e-mail address, or telephone number;
  • A description of the public records requested;
  • A statement of purpose, indicating whether the Requestor intends to use the records, or the information derived from those records, for sale, resale, solicitation, or advertisement for sales or services;
  • A statement of whether the Requestor is, or represents, news media or a non-profit, scientific or academic organization; and
  • A statement of whether the principal purpose of the Request is either (i) to access and disseminate information concerning news and current or passing events, (ii) for articles of opinion or features of interest to the public, or (iii) academic, scientific or public research or education.

Your request should be directed to:

 

Freedom of Information Officer
The Village of Arthur
120 E. Progress Street
PO Box 139
Arthur IL  61911-0139
Phone: (217) 543-2927
Facsimile:  (217) 543-3714
e-mail:  [email protected]

 

The Freedom of Information Officer(s) is the person(s) administratively responsible for receiving and processing Requests.  They are the person(s) with authority on behalf of the Village to grant or deny Requests, to extend the Response Time, and to issue the appropriate notices with respect to all related matters.  The Freedom of Information Officer(s) may consult with Village staff, officials, and others as appropriate before responding to a Request. 


The Freedom of Information Officer(s) for the Village of Arthur are:
Michael S. Goodman, Chief of Police
Erica Carter, Village Deputy Clerk


The Village of Arthur will respond to written requests for inspection, copying, or certification of public records in accordance with the Act and any other applicable law.  Generally, under the Act, the Village of Arthur will provide public records for inspection or copying as requested except for records (1) that would, if disclosed, violate individual privacy, or (2) whose production would disrupt the duly undertaken work of the Village, or (3) that are specifically exempted from disclosure by the Act or other applicable law.  If records requested are for inspection only, an employee must be present throughout the inspection.

 


Submittal of Request

 

Completed Requests must be filed with the Village Freedom of Information Officer by mail, facsimile, overnight courier service, electronic mail, or in person, in accordance with the following:

  1. In-Person Submissions.  Requests submitted in person must be given to the Freedom of Information Officer or file in the office of the Deputy Clerk.
  2. Electronic Mail Submissions.  Requests submitted by electronic mail must be sent directly to the Freedom of Information Officer at [email protected] and will be deemed received only upon actual receipt by the Freedom of Information Officer on a Business Day during Business Hours, regardless of date or time of submission.
  3. All Other Submissions.  Requests submitted by mail or other means must be addressed to the Freedom of Information Officer at the Village Hall and will be deemed received only upon actual receipt by the Village on a Business Day, regardless of date of submission.

All Village officials and employees who receive a Request must immediately forward that Request to the Freedom of Information Officer.

 


Processing of Request

 

  1. The Freedom of Information Officer will complete a Checklist immediately upon receipt of the Request.  If the Freedom of Information Officer determines that the Request is not complete, the Freedom of Information Officer will mail a Notice of Incomplete Request form and a Supplemental Information to the Requestor within five Business Days after receipt by the Village of the Request.  If the Freedom of Information Officer determines that the Request is complete, the Freedom of Information Officer will stamp or otherwise indicate on each completed Request, the date and time of the receipt and, if known, the date on which the Village must respond to the Request.
  2. The Freedom of Information Officer must maintain an electronic or paper coy of the Request, including all documents submitted with the Request, until all matters related to the Request have been completed.
  3. The Freedom of Information Officer must create an electronic or paper file for the retention of the original Request, a copy of the response by the Village, a record of all written communications with the Requestor regarding the Request, and a copy of other communications related to the Request.
  4. The Freedom of Information Officer must keep all Notices of Denial in a single central office file, indexed according to the type of exemption asserted, and, to the extent feasible, according to the types of records requested.

Time for Response

 

  1. Requests Made for Commercial Purposes.  The Village will respond within 21 Business Days after a completed Request Made for Commercial Purposes is received by the Village.
  2. All Other Requests.  For all Requests other than those made for Commercial Purposes, the Village will respond within 5 Business Days after a completed Request is received by the Village, unless the Village has extended the Response Time.

 


Extension of Time

 

  • If the Freedom of Information Officer determines that additional time is needed and allowed under the Act to respond to a Request, then the Freedom of Information Officer, using a Notice of Extension form will notify the Requestor within the applicable Response Time of the determination, of the reasons requiring the extension, and of th length of the extension (which may not exceed five additional Business Days).  The Freedom of Information Officer may not issue a Notice of Extension for Requests Made for Commercial Purposes.
  • The Requestor and the Village, using an Extension Agreement form may agree in writing to extend the time for compliance for a period to be mutually determined.  In his or her discretion, the Freedom of Information Officer may deliver to the Requestor a Request for Extension Agreement form and an Extension Agreement form.  The Freedom of Information Officer is authorized to execute, in his or her discretion, an Extension Agreement after it has been executed by the Requestor.  The Freedom of Information Officer must respond to the Request within the applicable Response Time, unless and until the Requestor and the Village have executed the Extension Agreement.

Definitions

 

In addition to the definitions provided in the Act, the following definitions apply:

 

 

  1. Business Hours:  7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on a Business Day.
  2. Business Day:  Any day on which general offices of the Village of Arthur at the Village Hall are open and staffed for regular public business.  Business Days generally are Monday through Friday, except federal and state legal holidays.
  3. FOIA Officer.  Is a person(s) appointed by the "public body."  The FOIA officer's responsibility is to receive FOIA requests from the public and to send responses in compliance with FOIA.  FOIA requires that each public body appoint one or more FOIA officers who must complete an electronic training developed by the Attorney General's Public Access Counselor.  They are the person with authority on behalf of the Village to grant or deny Requests, to extend the Response Time, and to issue the appropriate notices with respect to all related matters.  The Freedom of Information Officer(s) may consult with Village staff, officials, and others as appropriate before responding to a Request.
  4. Public Body.  Is defined in FOIA as "all legislative, executive, administrative, or advisory bodies of the State, state universities and colleges, counties, townships, cities, villages, incorporated towns, school districts and all other municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees, or commissions of this State, any subsidiary bodies of any of the foregoing including but not limited to committees and subcommittees thereof and a School Finance Authority created under Article 1E of the School Code."
  5. Public Records.  Are defined in FOIA as "all records, reports, forms, writings, letters, memoranda, books, papers, maps, photographs, microfilms, cards, tapes, recordings, electronic data processing records, electronic communications, recorded information and all other documentary materials pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of any public body."  A few examples of public records available under FOIA are:  orders; rules; reports or studies; contracts; names, titles and salaries of public employees; and the voting records of public bodies.  Information can be available in electronic as well as paper format.
  6. Request:  A request to inspect, copy, or certify public records.
  7. Request Made for Commercial Purposes:  A Request made with the intent to use the requested records (or information derived from those records), in whole or in part, for sale, resale, or solicitation or advertisement for sales or services.  However, a Request submitted by news media or by non-profit, scientific, or academic organizations will not be deemed to be made for commercial purposes if the principal purpose of the Request is (a) to access and disseminate information concerning news and current or passing events, (b) for articles of opinion or features of interest to the public, or (c) for the purpose of academic, scientific, or public research or education.
  8. Requestor:  A person, firm, or corporation that files a Request with the Village.
  9. Response Time:  The time for response by the Village to a request for public records

 

FOIA_Request_Form.doc