FAQs
Question: How will the City provide the requested records to me?
Answer: The City of Duvall will provide responsive records in one of three ways:
- Electronic Transmission: Records will be transmitted online through the Public Records Request Portal. Electronic records requested on a removable storage device such as a USB drive will be subject to a fee.
- Paper Copies: Paper copies may be requested and subject to a copy fee. If the production of paper records is large/voluminous, you may inspect them in person to determine if you desire copies. Copies can also be mailed through the US Postal Service, which will be subject to the cost of mailing container and postage.
- Inspection: Responsive records may be inspected by appointment during regular business hours in person. Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Please get in touch with the Duvall Police Department Records Unit at 425.788.1519 to schedule an appointment to view the requested records.
Please note that the City of Duvall does not allow a requester to attach a personal storage device, such as a flash drive, to City-owned computers.
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Question: Are public records requests confidential?
Answer: Public disclosure requests received by the City of Duvall are public records. Absent exemptions, public records requests are subject to disclosure upon request. This includes any personal information a requester provides to the City in making a public disclosure request, such as name, residential address, e-mail address, or telephone number.
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Question: How much is a public record request?
Answer: It depends on the number of records you are requesting, whether the records you seek must be delivered in paper format or electronic format, whether you request to have the responsive records mailed to you, or if, due to the extent of your request, City staff will need to engage the assistance of outside vendors. Please note that the final cost of your public records request must be paid in full before City staff releases this information to you. For a more detailed list of our fee schedule, please click HERE.
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Question: May I request that the fees associated with my records request be waived?
Answer: No, unless you are exempt from paying for public records requests as the law prescribes.
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Question: How do I know whether my request should be submitted to the City Clerk's Office or the Police Department?
Answer: Any request for City records other than police records must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office. Examples of common requests include permit history, land use applications, records of bids for projects, contracts, and communications.
A request that should be submitted to the Police Department is a request for any identifiable record relating to the conduct of the Duvall Police Department business that is prepared, owned, used, or retained by the Duvall Police Department. Police records include but are not limited to case reports, collision reports, crime statistics, incident reports, photographs associated with PD cases, and audio/video associated with PD cases. You may use this records request portal to complete their public records requests; we encourage you to submit your request through the portal, and the Police Department will receive notification of your request and respond accordingly.
NOTE: As the Police Department does not conduct e-mail searches associated with requests for public records, any request that includes "e-mails," "correspondence," or "communication" should be submitted to the City Clerk's Office for routing and processing, even if that request is ALSO for Police records.
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Question: How are the five business days calculated when responding to a public records request?
Answer: RCW 42.56.520 provides that a response to a request for public records must be made within five (5) business days. The day the request is received is not one of the five (5) days. Weekends and holidays observed by the City are also excluded in the calculation. The City must provide a preliminary response within five (5) business days.
Within five (5) business days, the City's preliminary response will do one of the following:
- Provide the record, acknowledge that the City has received the request and ask the requester to provide clarification for a request that is unclear, and provide, to the greatest extent possible, a reasonable estimate of the time the City will require to respond to the request if it is not clarified.
- Acknowledge that the City has received the request and provide a reasonable estimate of the time it will take to provide an update and/or respond to it.
- Deny the public record request; or
- Provide an internet address and link on the City's website to the specific records requested. However, if the requester notifies the City of Duvall that they cannot access the records through the Internet, then the City must provide copies of the record or allow the requester to view copies.
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Question: What is a public record?
Answer: A public record is any record containing information relating to the conduct of government business that is prepared, owned, used, or retained by the City. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic media, paper, e-mail, microfilm audiotapes, videotapes, magnetic tapes, and disks (CDs/DVDs).
A valid public records request requests a specific and identifiable public record. A request for general information is not a reasonable public records request. You do not have to identify the record you want with exact precision, but providing as much detail as you can will be helpful. Our staff may contact you if we need to clarify your request.
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Question: Can I appeal a public records request that has been denied in whole or in part?
Answer: Any person who objects to the initial denial or partial denial of a records request may petition the Public Records Officer in writing (including by e-mail) to review that decision. The petition shall include a copy of or reasonably identify the written statement by the Public Records Officer or designee denying the request. The Public Records Officer shall promptly provide the petition and any other relevant information to the City Administrator or designee to conduct the review. The City Administrator or their designee will quickly consider the petition and either affirm or reverse the denial within ten business days following the City's receipt of the petition or within such other time the City and the requester mutually agree.
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Question: Must the City agree to provide "future records"?
Answer: No. A request for "future records" is a request for records that do not exist when the public records request has been made.
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Question: Can the City utilize an installment methodology to respond to my request for records?
Answer: Yes. When a request is made for many records, the Public Records Officer may provide access for inspection and copying in installments if they reasonably determine that it would be practical to provide the records in that manner. If, within 30 days, the requestor fails to inspect the complete set of records or one or more of the installments, the Public Records Officer may stop searching for the remaining records and close the request. Likewise, if payment for an installment is not made, the Public Records Officer may stop searching for the remaining records and complete the request.
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Question: Where do I request a copy of a Police Report?
Answer: You can submit your request through this portal for a copy of a police report, and the Duvall Police Department will receive a notification of your request so they can complete your request.
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Question: How do I obtain a copy of a marriage license, death certificate, or birth certificate?
Answer: The King County Recorder's Office can provide you with information on how to obtain copies of birth and/or death records, court and divorce records, and property tax information. You may access their website for additional information by clicking here: King County Recorder's Office.
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Question: Must the City create a document when responding to a specific request for public disclosure?
Answer: No. Washington case law has established that an agency is not required to create an otherwise non-existent record.
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Question: What is the response time to a public record request?
Answer: RCW 42.56.520 provides that an agency must respond to public records requests within five business days. The day the request is received does not count as one of the five days. RCW 1.12.040 provides: "The time within which an act is to be done, as herein provided, shall be computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, Saturday, or Sunday, and then it is also excluded."
The City's response may be one or more of the following:
- Make the records available for inspection or copying; or
- Identify an internet location where the record can be accessed. Requesters who cannot access the Internet may be provided hard copies or
- If copies are requested and payment of a deposit for the copies, if any, is made or terms of payment are agreed upon, send the copies to the requester or
- Provide a reasonable estimate of when records will be available or
- If the requester is unclear or does not sufficiently identify the requested records, the Public Records Officer may request clarification from the requester. Such clarification may be requested and provided by telephone, and the Public Records Officer will follow up with an e-mail summarizing the conversation. The Public Records Officer or designee may revise the estimate of when records will be available or
- Deny the request.
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Question: Where can I find Council meeting minutes, videos, and agenda packets?
Answer:
If your question is not listed here, please e-mail the City Clerk or call 425.788.1185.
If your question is related to police records, please contact the Confidential Records Administrator by e-mail or by calling 425.788.1519