Freedom of Information Act
The purpose of the Freedom of Information Act is to ensure that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government, and the official acts and policies of those who represent them as public officials.
The principal mandate of the Act provides that each public body shall make available to any person for inspection — or, upon submission of a written request, provide copies of — any requested records that are subject to disclosure under the Act. Not all records are subject to disclosure, and the Act provides a number of exemptions.
Intended Use
This Act is not intended to be used to violate individual privacy, to further a commercial enterprise, or to disrupt the duly-undertaken work of any public body independent of the fulfillment of the rights of the people to access information (5 ILCS 140/1).
How to Submit a Request
Email
Request Procedures
Records requests must be made in writing and directed to the public body. Requests may be submitted by any of the following methods. A Freedom of Information form is also available upon request at the front office or at villageofmccook.org under the Directory tab.
Copy your request in the body of the email — no attachments.
[email protected]
Mail or In Person
Village of McCook
5000 Glencoe Ave
McCook, IL 60525
Fax
Fax your written request to:
708-447-2584
Renee Botica
FOIA Officer — Village of McCookFee Schedule
| Record Type | First 50 Pages | Additional Pages / Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Black & White — Letter or Legal Size | Free | $.15 per page thereafter |
| Color or Abnormal-Sized Copies | -- | Actual cost of copying |
| Electronic Copies | -- | Actual cost of recording medium (tape, CD, disk, etc.) |
| Document Certification | -- | $1.00 per document |
| Commercial FOIA — Personnel Search Time | First 8 hours free | Up to $10.00 per hour thereafter |
Commercial FOIA Requests — P.A. 97-0579
Under Public Act 97-0579 (5 ILCS 140/6), a public body may charge up to $10 per hour for personnel time spent searching and retrieving records for a commercial FOIA request — with no fee charged for the first eight hours. If fees apply, the Village must provide a complete accounting of all fees, costs, and personnel hours.
Timelines
Response Time for FOIA Requests
5
Working Days
Standard Request
All written requests shall be responded to within 5 working days of the date received. The count begins the day after receipt by the FOIA Officer.
21
Working Days
Commercial & Recurrent Requests
Commercial purpose requests and requests from recurrent requesters receive an initial response within 21 business days of receipt.
+5
Working Days Extension
Extension Allowed
The requester may be notified of a 5-day extension if files are voluminous, at different locations, or other reasons prevent timely assembly.
Voluminous Request Rule
A "voluminous request" includes: (i) more than 5 individual requests for more than 5 different categories of records within a 20 business day period; or (ii) a request requiring the compilation of more than 500 letter or legal-sized pages of public records (unless a single requested record exceeds 500 pages).
Denial of FOIA Requests
When a Request May Be Denied
Certain documents may be exempt from disclosure under specific sections of the Freedom of Information Act. When a public body denies a request, it must — within 5 working days — notify the requester by letter explaining the reasons for the denial.
Denial Notification
When a public body denies a request for public records, that body must notify the requester within 5 working days — or within any extended compliance period — by letter, explaining the specific reasons for the denial.
Information provided or denied under FOIA must conform to the legal requirements under the Act. Not all records are subject to mandatory disclosure.
How to Appeal a Denial
Any person denied access to inspect or copy a public record may appeal the denial by sending a written notice of appeal to the Public Access Counselor:
Leah Barlett, Public Access Counselor
Office of the Attorney General
500 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 877-299-3642
Fax: 217-782-1396
Email: [email protected]
500 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 877-299-3642
Fax: 217-782-1396
Email: [email protected]
Additional Request Rules
Understanding recurrent requester and voluminous request designations helps ensure your request is handled as efficiently as possible.
Recurrent Requesters
A person may be designated a "recurrent requester" if they submit 50+ requests in 12 months, 15+ requests in 30 days, or 7+ requests in 7 days. These requests receive a 21-day initial response window.
Voluminous Requests
Requests for more than 5 different record categories within 20 business days, or requiring more than 500 pages, are considered voluminous and may be subject to extended response timelines.
Records Available
The Village maintains a comprehensive list of available records. Each department has the ability to satisfy requests within the allocated response time. Contact the FOIA Officer for the complete records list.
Department Contact Numbers
Village Hall
(708) 447-9030
Police Department — Non-Emergency
(708) 447-1234
Fire Department — Non-Emergency
(708) 447-7561
FOIA Officer — Fax
(708) 447-2584