Freedom of Information Act

Overview

The Village of Cherry Valley adheres to the statutes set forth by the State of Illinois Attorney General's Office as it pertains to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 ILCS 140/1.   The act allows for the inspection of records maintained by the Village of Cherry Valley and other public bodies.   The act also provides for exemptions of certain secure information.   Recent amendments to the act (signed into law August 17, 2009 and effective January 1, 2010) have been incorporated into the village's rules and regulations implementing the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Freedom of Information Act Requests

All requests to inspect, copy, or certify public records must be submitted to the village in writing and in the appropriate form (mail, personal delivery, fax, e-mail, or other means available).   The village will respond to each written request to inspect, copy, or certify public records within five (5) business days after it is received, unless an extension of time is determined necessary.   The first business day is the day after the village receives a FOIA request.   The village will respond to a written request made for commercial purposes within 21 business days after it is received.   Requests for information governed by specific statutes will be provided in accordance with such statutes.

Fees

Applicable fees for copies, certification, mailing or emailing of public records must be paid prior to receiving the requested documents.   There is no fee for up to the first 50 pages of standard paper copies.   For pages beyond 50 copies, there is a $0.15 per page charge.   Oversized copies are charged the same price to reproduce them.   Additional fees are detailed in the FOIA Booklet dated January 2010.

All fees must be paid prior to release of public records.

Communication & Contact Information

All notices and other communications relating to a request to inspect, copy, or certify public records, all requests for copies of the FOIA Rules, and all requests for any other information relating to the village's implementation of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act must be directed to:

                   Village of Cherry Valley FOIA Officer

                  806 East State Street

                  Cherry Valley, Illinois 61016

                  Telephone: (815) 332-3442

                  Facsimile: (815) 332-3414

            Forms

As a convenience measure, the Village does have a standard form available for individuals to assist them with their information requests.  The form is not required in order for a FOIA request to be completed, however, the Village does require that all information requests be submitted in writing. The FOIA form is located in the Permits/Forms/Applications section of the Your Government drop down menu.

More Information

For more information on the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, visit the Illinois Attorney General's Office website.