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RESOLUTION Page 5 of 15 <br />All requests for public records shall be afforded the same treatment and consideration, without <br />distinction among persons, and without regard to the intent of the request. <br /> <br />To reduce proliferation of paper copies and in the interest of efficiently and expeditiously <br />responding to requests for disclosure of public records, the Public Records Officer and Records <br />Liaisons are encouraged to use electronic means to respond to, fulfill, and track public records <br />requests. <br /> <br />This policy shall not obligate staff to create electronic or other records, or to convert electronic <br />records into a format or medium in which the records are not already maintained. When asked <br />by a requestor to convert an electronic record into a different format, staff is encouraged to do <br />so when reasonable and technologically feasible, provided such conversion is not unduly <br />burdensome and does not interfere with other essential City functions. Requestors may request <br />paper copies of electronic records subject to applicable copying charges adopted by the City. <br /> <br />Responses to requests of public records, including responses by email, become public records in <br />their own right, subject to the provisions of the Public Records Act and the retention requirements <br />of the Office of the Secretary of State, and shall be maintained accordingly. <br /> <br />3.7 Exemption <br /> <br />The Public Records Act and other statutes exempt or prohibit disclosure of certain public records. <br />It is the policy of the City of Everett to provide prompt and helpful access to all public records in <br />the City’s custody that State statutes do not exempt or prohibit from disclosure. Requested <br />records may only be withheld or redacted consistent with statutory requirements, which shall be <br />documented for the requestor in accordance with the requirements of RCW 42.56.210. <br /> <br />Some public records may contain specific content that is exempt from disclosure. The presence <br />of exempt information does not necessarily exempt an entire record from disclosure. Exempt <br />portions of an otherwise disclosable record shall be redacted prior to inspection or copying and <br />such redactions shall be documented. The requestor shall be notified of the redaction in <br />accordance with the requirements of RCW 42.56.210. <br /> <br />The following are summaries of common exemptions relied upon by the City. Note, the City <br />reserves the right to assert any exemptions permitted by law when the City determines non- <br />disclosure serves the public interest and is not limited to the exemptions listed below: <br /> <br />3.7.1 Records that are protected by trade secrets law (RCW 19.108); <br />3.7.2 Valuable formulae, designs, drawings, computer source code or object code, and <br />research data obtained by the City within five years of the request for disclosure <br />when disclosure would produce private gain and public loss (RCW 42.56.270 (1); <br />3.7.3 Personal information in files maintained for council members and City employees <br />to the extent that disclosure would violate their right to privacy, including but not <br />limited to addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, driver license <br />numbers, voluntary deductions, marriage status, information about dependents, <br />and any garnishment deductions (RCW 42.56.230(3) & .250(3));