Records Request Form
The City Clerk serves as custodian of all official records of the City, attends regular and special meetings of the Council and records the actions of the City Council, and prepares the official proceedings of Council meetings.
The City of Smithville is committed to complying with the Missouri Sunshine Law, Chapter 610 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (external link), and ensuring accessibility to its residents.
The City Clerk serves as the City’s Custodian of Records and processes record requests. Requests can be submitted by using the City’s online form or paper forms are available at City Hall. For the purpose of efficiency and clarity, we recommend submitting your request through the online form.
Missouri Sunshine Law Basics
- Each request for access to a public record shall be responded to no later than the end of the third business day following the date the request is received by the City Clerk. (RSMo 610.023.3)
- A fee may be charged for research time not to exceed the average hourly rate of pay for clerical staff ($30 per hour). There may be a charge of up to 10 cents per page for standard copies and the actual cost of the copy for larger or oversized documents. (RSMo 610.026.1)
- The Missouri Sunshine Law does not require that an open records request be submitted in a specific format. However, we encourage making requests in writing (letter, email, etc.) so we can maintain a record of what was requested and when. (RSMo 610.023.3)
- Missouri Attorney General’s Office – Sunshine Law FAQs (external link)
Requesting a Public Record
- The purpose of the following process is to fulfill requests for records that are not readily available. Submit a request by reasonably describing the record being requested.
- Once a request is received, the Custodian of Records will coordinate with the appropriate departments, if needed, to administer the request. If, upon determination that the requested record is not readily available, the Custodian of Records will contact the requester within three (3) business days of the request to either make the record available, deny the request in writing with reason, or furnish written acknowledgment to the requester stating a reasonable time when the determination of whether the request shall be granted or denied.
- The cost for a request must be paid before the Custodian of Records will begin the search.
- Once the requested record is determined to be available, the request will be completed using the delivery method noted in the application.