Title
Resolution Directing the City Administrator to Revise FOIA Administrative Policy
Body
Whereas, The City Administrator provided a draft of revisions to the City's Release of Public Documents Policy in early 2013;
Whereas, The Ann Arbor Chronicle provided extensive feedback in response to the draft revisions in an email dated March 4, 2013;
Whereas, The Michigan legislature was considering various amendments to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) during 2013 and 2014; and
Whereas, Neither the City nor the State Legislature have moved forward on any revisions to the Act or to the City's policies;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council directs the City administrator to renew his efforts to revise the City's Release of Public Documents Policy (APP # 104);
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council directs the City administrator to provide recommandations that are responsive to the questions raised in the Ann Arbor Chronicle memo as well as other concerns raised by citizens in the past years;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council desires that the ensuing revisions to be undertaken increase openness and transparency by including an exploration of:
• Waiver of fees for media outlets
• Appointment of a FOIA officer for the City and for the Council
• Establishment of a process whereby denials of FOIA requests made to the Council will be appealed to the Council
; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator will report back to Council with the necessary recommendations before the Council's second meeting in March 2015.
Sponsored by Councilmember Kailasapathy, Eaton and Briere
As Amended by Ann Arbor Council on December 1, 2014