Open Records/PA Right-to-Know Requests

Please submit all record request forms by email, facsimile or in person to the Open Records Officer.

General

All documents deemed public records shall be available for inspection, retrieval, and duplication at the Municipal Building during established business hours 7:00 am – 3:30 pm with the exception of weekends and holidays. 

Requests

Requests shall be made in writing addressed to the township Open Records Officer on a the Township provides. When filing a RTK request, please make certain you are seeking records and NOT asking questions. The law governs the release of records, NOT answering questions or conducting research.

The Right to Know Law (RTKL) requires that Williams Township act upon each non-anonymous written request when such request is made in person, by mail, by fax or by email. The RTKL does not require the Township to act upon an oral request and the Township shall refuse to accept oral requests. In addition, the RTKL does not require the Township to act upon an anonymous request, and the Township will refuse to honor an anonymous request.

Effective February 1, 2020, Williams Township requires the Standard Right to Know Request Form be used for the submission of Right To Know requests and will not consider a request to be a written request pursuant to the Right To Know Law unless the request is submitted on or with the standard form. Beginning February 1, 2020, Williams Township will consider any request not submitted on or with the standard form to be an informal request not subject to the Right to Know Law. (The Township reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to use the RTKL as guidance in responding to informal requests for records and/or information.)

Fees

Per the Township Fee Schedule, paper copies shall be .25 cents per page for black & white and .50 cents per page for color. The certification of a record is $5.00 per record. Specialized documents including, but not limited to blueprints, color copies and non-standard sized documents shall be charged the actual cost of production. If mailing is requested, the cost of postage will be charged.  The Township requires pre-payment if your request amounts to $100.00 or more.

Response

The Township shall make a good-faith effort to provide the requested public record(s) as promptly as possible. The Open Records Officer shall cooperate with those requesting records to review and/or duplicate original Township documents while taking reasonable measure to protect township documents from the possibility of theft, damage, and/or modification.  The Open Records Officer shall review all written requests for access to public records.  The Open Records Officer shall notify you in writing consistent with Act 3 of 2008 of the Right to Know Law no later than five business days after receiving a written request to access public records. If access to a record is denied, the response shall include the reason for denial as stipulated in Act 3 of 2008, the Right-to-Know Law

Appeals

 If a written request is denied or deemed denied, the requester may file an appeal in writing to:

Office of Open Records
333 Market Street
16th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101-2234

or online, via e-mail, fax or in-person submission. Please visit the PA Office of Open Records Website for additional contact details.

The appeal shall be filed within 15 business days of the mailing date of the Township’s response or within 15 business days of a deemed denial. The appeal shall state the grounds upon which the requester asserts the records is a public record and shall address any grounds stated by the Township for delaying or denying the request.