HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1986/06/17 Item 20 COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
Item 20
Meeting Date 6/17/86
.4
ITEM TITLE: Resolution\r'' Setting forth a procedure for charging for
requests for research and investigations - First Reading
SUBMITTED BY: City Clerk
(4/5this Vote: Yes No X )
During the past year this office has been receiving more and more requests for
detailed information from our public records rather than resorting to legal or
title company services.
It has become evident that the cost for the amount of time spent by staff
researching these documents should be borne by the person or firm requesting
same.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the resolution setting forth the fees.
DISCUSSION:
A great deal of time is sometimes spent researching documents for the public
either for their own personal use or as representatives of various firms and
developers. A recent case in point was a request from McDonald's for
"everything we had on actions taken for the denial of their sign at
"E"/Broadway." The Deputy City Clerk spent 3 hours researching documents;
Community Development Secretary spent 1 hour; and the Planning Secretary 2
hours for a total of 6 hours of staff time.
This would ordinarily average $12 an hour, including the benefits. Based on
staff time we could have charged approximately $72 for the research and
investigation; however, all we were allowed to charge was approximately $2 for
copying the documents. This ordinance does not prevent a person from
requesting a copy of a document for a reasonable or set charge (100 a page)
but it does set up a procedure to charge for research that goes beyond a
reasonable time period (e.g. , 10 minutes) . A cash deposit can be requested to
cover estimated costs.
FISCAL IMPACT: Not known at this time since it is based on the actual
amount of research requested but it will be for full cost recovery.
0805C/ak
by the City Council of
Chula Vista, California
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