FOIA INFORMATION
Illinois Freedom of Information Act Link
PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING INSPECTION OF TOWNSHIP RECORDS OR TO OBTAIN COPIES OF TOWNSHIP RECORDS
All Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests must be in writing or e-mailed to the Winfield Township Freedom of Information Officer and must contain a detailed description of the desired records. Click here (pdf) for a Request for Public Records of Winfield Township.
The form may be emailed to [email protected], which will be received by Cynthia “Cyd” Paulsen, the Freedom Of Information Officer.
You may also print the form, complete it and mail it to:
Cynthia “Cyd” Paulsen, Freedom of Information Officer
130 Arbor Avenue
West Chicago, IL 60185
Phone: (630) 231-3591
The principle mandate of the Public Act 96-542 provides that each public body shall make available to any person for inspection or to provide copies of any requested records that are subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Not all records are subject to disclosure, and the Act provides a number of exemptions. The Act also provides that the public body has five (5) business days to respond following the date the request is received and may take an additional seven (7) business days, if necessary, to fill the request.
Requests for commercial purposes, under the Public Act 96-542, will have twenty-one (21) business days after receipt of such a request to respond to them.
This Act is not intended to be used to violate individual privacy, nor for the purpose of furthering a commercial enterprise, or to disrupt the duly-undertaken work of any public body. The Act does not require the Township to create new records or to answer questions other than through its records.
FOIA requesters may have to pay fees covering some of the costs of processing their request. Fees may be limited to actual mailing costs, duplication or publication costs. See the next page for Winfield Township’s fee schedule and policy for duplication of records. If a fee is required, it must be paid before the copies are released by Winfield Township.
The township clerk has the custody of all records, books and papers of the township (60 ILCS 1)
The Freedom of Information Officer will direct requests for records relative to the assessment of property and records stored on the Assessor’s computer to the Assessor for his handling of same, and requests for records relative to the Township Road District will be directed to the Highway Commissioner for his handling of same.