FOIA Guidelines

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

The Public Schools of Petoskey is committed to transparency and accountability. The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides the public with access to certain public records, subject to exemptions, fees, and other requirements established by law.

Submitting a FOIA Request

Written FOIA requests should be submitted to the District's FOIA Coordinator.

By Mail:
Public Schools of Petoskey
FOIA Coordinator
1130 Howard Street
Petoskey, MI 49770

By Email:
FOIACoordinator@northmen.org

By Fax:
231-348-2342

A FOIA request must describe the public record being requested in sufficient detail to enable the District to locate the record. Requests must also include the requester's complete name, mailing address, and either a telephone number or email address. Mailing addresses must comply with United States Postal Service addressing standards.

A requester is not required to use the District's sample FOIA Request Form or to include the word "FOIA" in the request.

FOIA Procedures and Guidelines

The District's complete FOIA Procedures and Guidelines provide detailed information about submitting requests, response timelines, fees and deposits, exemptions, inspections, and appeals.

View FOIA Procedures and Guidelines

The Procedures and Guidelines include the District's Written Public Summary and Fee Itemization Form.

Related FOIA Forms

FOIA Response Time

The District will respond to a written FOIA request within 5 business days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the requester. The District may extend the response period by up to 10 additional business days, as permitted by FOIA.

A response may grant the request, deny the request, grant the request in part and deny it in part, or provide notice of an extension.

FOIA Fees and Deposits

The District may charge fees permitted under FOIA for certain costs associated with processing a request. If the estimated fee exceeds $50, the District may require a good-faith deposit of up to one-half of the total estimated fee. The District will provide a detailed itemization of estimated fees and a best-efforts estimate of the timeframe for providing the requested records.

The District's complete fee provisions and Fee Itemization Form are included in the Procedures and Guidelines.

Inspection of Public Records

The District will provide reasonable facilities for a requester to inspect non-exempt public records during the District's normal business hours. The FOIA Coordinator establishes reasonable rules for inspection to protect District records and prevent undue interference with normal District operations.

Appeals

A requester may appeal a denial of records to the District's Board or may commence an action in circuit court in Emmet County. A requester may also challenge a fee in circuit court as provided by the Michigan FOIA and the District's Procedures and Guidelines.