FAQs • Gahanna, OH • CivicEngage

Are emails public records?: Email messages are judged by the same criteria as records on paper or in any other format. If the content meets the law's definition of a public record, meaning that it documents the business activity of a public office, the message is a public record. Because an email inbox is not a storage system, public record messages are printed and filed with paper records of that subject.

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Council Office: Public Records

1. How do I know who has the records I need? Who do I ask?: Call the City Council Office at 614-342-4090. The Records Coordinator will take your request and facilitate preparing the records with the custodial office.

2. Do I have to give you my name, address, or phone number?: No. However, you can choose to give us that information if you want us to call and let you know the records are ready, or want them delivered to you.

3. Do I have to fill out a form?: No. To be sure we understand your request, we might ask questions and make notes, or you can choose to put your request in writing through the City's Public Records Request Portal.

4. Am I allowed to have everything in your files?: No. The law exempts some information. If we can't give you something, we will tell you the part of the law that exempts it.

5. How far back can I see records?: We have retention periods for records based on their content. We can tell you how far back we have the records you want, and you can see our approved retention schedules.

6. How soon will the records be ready for me to look at or have copies of?: Our goal is to provide good customer service and we comply with the law that requires us to prepare records promptly. The time you wait will depend on how many records you want and where they are stored.

8. Is there a limit to how many records I can ask for?: No. However, if you need a large number of records we will ask you some detailed questions to help identify your specific request. We will also estimate or calculate the cost and let you know in advance in case you want to ask for fewer records. If the cost is expected to be more than $25, we may request a $10 deposit in advance to help cover the cost of copying.

9. How much do record copies cost?: Letter-sized, black and white photocopies are $0.05 a page. Color copies, larger copies, and non-paper copies have different costs. We have an approved fee schedule based on what it actually costs in materials to make a copy and can provide you with that information.

10. What kinds of non-paper copies can I ask for?: You can have the copies in any format we store them in and can copy them in based on our normal business procedures.

11. Can I take records to a commercial copying store or my home computer to make my own copies?: No. Original records stay in the public office to be available to all citizens and the public employees. You may bring a camera to photograph paper documents in our office. Otherwise, we need to make the copies for you.

12. What if I only need some of the information in a document or file?: The City of Gahanna strives to assist citizens in every possible way. However, requests for information are not considered "public records requests" so we are not under the same legal obligations as we are for preparing records for you to look at or get copies of. We are not required to create customized records, tailored to your request. It is the requestor's responsibility to do their own research or summarizing.

13. Are emails public records?: Email messages are judged by the same criteria as records on paper or in any other format. If the content meets the law's definition of a public record, meaning that it documents the business activity of a public office, the message is a public record. Because an email inbox is not a storage system, public record messages are printed and filed with paper records of that subject.

14. Can I ask for a list of email messages you printed then deleted?: Our computer system does not generate such a list and we don't create one manually.