PUBLIC RECORDS

The City Clerk is the official custodian of the city's public records, receives and responds to public record requests and is responsible for the legal retention of city records and preservation of archival documents.

City records include all writings made, maintained or kept by the city, regardless of physical form or characteristic. Public records are available for inspection by any person between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will be made available within three working days or less upon receipt of a written Public Records Request. Extenuating circumstances might result in a seven-day extension to the three-day rule.

Most city records are public records. Colorado statutes define what specific records are not public and you will be informed if the information you request is not available to you for that reason.

Even though most city records are public records, they are not all kept forever. The City Clerk's Office is responsible for the city's Records Management Program. All city records are evaluated based on the length of time they will have significant value to the city and to the public, and each type of record is assigned a retention period. For example: ordinances, resolutions, and minutes are retained permanently, while cancelled checks are destroyed after seven years. The Colorado State Archives reviews and approves the city's retention schedule.

You may click on the link below to obtain a copy of the Public Records Request Form. After filling it out, you may fax, mail, or bring it into the City Clerk's Office. The more specific you can make your request, the better your chances of finding the information you want. Asking for "everything you've got" about a particular subject can be costly to the requestor, as there are research fees involved for records searches that take longer than 30 minutes. Sometimes, there is no document that specifically addresses your concern. In such cases, we often invite requestors to do their own research, using a viewing station in the City Clerk's Office to inspect records retained digitally and on microfilm.

Using the viewing station in the City Clerk's Office, you may research the following records on your own. They are available digitally (on the computer) or on microfilm: City Council minutes, boards & commissions minutes, ordinances & resolutions, City Council packets, planning case files, plats, maps, site plans, building permit records, and more.

PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FORM

FEE SCHEDULE