The village governments maintain a large body of records that include financial records, meeting minutes (and meeting transcripts, on occasion), blueprints of sub-divisions and major construction projects, compilations of police activities, and a great deal more. Nearly all of this is in the “public record” and must be made available to you on demand.

The Freedom of Information is your guarantee of access to these documents. We include a sample of the basic FOI request letter as well as a sample of the appeal letter that you would file if your FOI request is not handled to the full satisfaction of all applicable laws.

Further, your access to village meetings is guaranteed by the New York State Open Meetings Law (or “Sunshine” Law). For more information on these laws, contact the New York State Committee on Open Government at 518-474-2518 or write to:

NYS Committee on Open Government
Department of State
One Commerce Plaza
99 Washington Avenue, Suite 650
Albany, NY 12231

The Committee on Open Government publishes an excellent pamphlet entitled “Your Right to Know.” Click the button below to download a copy.

 

Your Right to Know

 

 

Date

Records Access Officer
Name of Agency
Address of Agency
City, State, Zip

Dear Records Access Officer:
Under the provisions of the New York Freedom of Information Law, Article 6 of the Public Officers Law, I hereby request the following records:

(list them here)
1)
2)
3)

If there are any copying fees, I will gladly reimburse, up to the limit of the law (25¢/page).

As you know, the Freedom of Information Law requires that a governmental body respond to a request within five business days of receipt of said request. Therefore, I look forward to hearing from you sometime next week.

If for any reason any portion of this request is denied, please inform me of the reasons for the denial, in writing, and provide the name and address of the person or body to whom an appeal should be directed, while furnishing all other portions of the requested documents within the legally mandated time.

Signed,
(your signature)

cc: (list of other recipients, if any)

 

Date

Name of Agency Official
Appeals Officer
Name of Agency
Address of Agency
City, State, Zip

Re: Freedom of Information Law Appeal

Dear –:

I hereby appeal the denial of access regarding my request, which was made on — and sent to –.

The records that were denied include: —

(list them here)
1)
2)
3)

As required by the Freedom of Information Law, the head or governing body of an agency, or whoever is designated to determine appeals, is required to respond within 10 business days of the receipt of an appeal. If the records are denied on appeal, please explain the reasons for the denial fully, in writing, as required by law.

In addition, please be advised that the Freedom of Information Law directs that all appeals and the determinations that follow be sent to the

NYS Committee on Open Government
Department of State
One Commerce Plaza
99 Washington Avenue, Suite 650
Albany, NY 12231

Signed,
x______

Name
Address
City, State, Zip

cc: