The Public Records Act (Act) declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the public’s business is a fundamental and necessary right. The Act requires the District to make public records available for inspection to members of the public and to provide copies upon written request.
Requests for Inspection or Copies
Public records of the District are open to inspection at all times during regular office hours (Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the District’s headquarters located at 1630 West Redlands Blvd., Suite A
Redlands, California.
Anyone who wishes to inspect copies of a particular public record must submit a written request, identifying the public record(s) to be inspected, to the Office of the Assistant General Manager/Chief Administrative Officer. Written requests may be made using the Public Records Request Form or a personal letter providing information to the same effect. Members of the public may make written requests in person, by mail, or via email.
Copies of public records are subject to the current fee schedule.
1050. Public Records Request Policy
| Mail: | San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District 1630 West Redlands Blvd., Suite A P.O. Box 1839 Redlands, California 92373 |
| Fax: | 909.793.0188 |
| Email: | info@sbvwcd.org |
Current Fee Schedule
| Type of Copy | Cost |
| Copies made by SBVWCD employees | |
| 25 pages or less | $0.25 / Page |
| More than 25 pages | $0.15 / page plus the hourly wage of the employee doing the copying (1 hour minimum) |
| Copies made by a copying service | Copying service plus 15% |
| Copies of tape recordings, computer records, mylars, sepia prints, maps, photographs, or blueprints | Copying service cost plus 15% |
Public Record Access Policy
- Any person may receive a copy of any identifiable public record or copy thereof. Upon written request, an exact copy shall be provided unless impracticable to do so. Computer data shall be provided in a form determined by San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District (SBVWCD).
2. SBVWCD, upon written request for a copy of records, shall determine within 10 days after receipt of such request whether to comply with the request and shall immediately notify the person making the request of such determination.
3. SBVWCD shall justify withholding any record by demonstrating that the record in question is exempt under state law or that on the facts of the particular case the public interest served by not making the record public clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record.
4. In unusual circumstances, as specified in this paragraph, the time limit of 10 days may be extended by written notice by SBVWCD to the person making the request setting forth the reasons for the extension and the date on which a determination is expected to be dispatched. No such notice shall specify a date that would result in an extension of more than 10 additional working days.
As used in this paragraph “unusual circumstances” means, but only to the extent reasonably necessary to the proper processing of the particular request:
a. The need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments that are separate from the office processing the request.
b. The need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in a single request.
c. The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, when another agency has a substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of SBVWCD having substantial subject matter interest therein (e.g., legal counsel).
5. Any notification of denial of any request for records shall set forth the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial.
6. Except with respect to public records exempt by express provision of law from disclosure, SBVWCD, upon any request for a copy of record which reasonably describes an identifiable record, or information produced therefrom, shall make copies, or arrange to make copies upon prior payment of the following fees:
a. For copies made by SBVWCD employees: 25 cents per page for 25 or less pages, or 15 cents per page in excess of 25 pages, plus the hourly wage of the office assistant performing the copying (minimum charge of 1 hour).
b. For copies made by a copying service: the actual costs billed by the copying service, plus 15%.
c. Copies of tape recordings, computer records, mylars, sepia prints, maps, photographs and blueprints shall be made by a copying service, the fee for which shall be the actual costs of reproduction, plus 15%.
7. Members of the public may not remove SBVWCD records from SBVWCD’s offices, nor may they use SBVWCD’s copying equipment. However, members of the public may examine written documents or listen to tape recordings of public meetings without charge under all of the following conditions:
a. A mutually convenient time is arranged between the requesting party and SBVWCD’s staff.
b. The examination occurs in SBVWCD’s office.
c. A member of SBVWCD’s staff is present at all times during such examination and, in the case of a tape recording, operates the playback machine.
8. Although there are numerous types of records that are exempt from disclosure to the public, the following is a brief list of commonly requested records which are not to be disclosed to members of the public:
a. Preliminary drafts, notes or memoranda which are not retained by SBVWCD in the ordinary course of its business.
b. Records pertaining to Government Tort Claims and litigation.
c. Personnel files.
d. Certain data obtained by SBVWCD in confidence from third parties.
e. Real estate appraisals, engineering or feasibility estimates and evaluations.
f. Computer software.
g. Communications with legal counsel.