How To Get Public Records

The Town of Rising Sun aims to provide transparent government and is working to make all pertinent Town records easily obtainable and viewable to the general public. In our efforts to achieve this goal we are gradually converting our records into electronic format so that they are easily viewable on this website.  However, if there are records that you are interested in seeing that are currently not available, we are streamlining our processes in order  make them easier to access.  If you are interested in viewing any records or getting copies of these records, we simply ask that you fill out the Freedom of Information Request Form, identify what records you would like to see and we will make them available as quickly as possible. 
 
Please be advised that in accordance to Town Resolution 2008-04 titled Revisions to the Town of Rising Sun Fee Schedule - August of 2008, there is a charge of fifty ($ 0.50 ) cents per single page, and one ($1) dollar per double sided page for all copying or scanning of documents.  In addition, if the administrative time related to preparing and making such copies/scanning exceeds two (2) hours, there will also be an additional flat rate charge of twenty-five ($25) dollars per each additional hour.  However, please be advised that some of the document you seek may be down loaded at no charge from the Town of Rising Sun website by clicking on our Document Center Page! 
 
But that's not all! 
There may also be some disclosable documents, not located on the website, but in electronic format, that can be emailed to you at no additional charge. 
 
Okay, up to this point we have been talking about "Disclosable Documents".  Thats because, in accordance to the Maryland's Public Information Act (PIA), State Government Article, §§10-611 to 628, there are certain records and documents that are not "discoverable" and the Town is not permitted to provide access to these records and or documents. 
 
These types of records/documents include:   (Summarized from the Maryland's Public Information Act)
   1.  Any records ordered non-discoverable or the like, by Federal or State Statute.
  
   2.  Any records ordered closed by Maryland Court Rules and or a Court Order.
  
   3.  Any records that are classified as "Privileged or Confidential" (i.e. attorney-client, attorney work product and confidential executive advisory communications).
 
In addition the inspection of the following records must be denied by Maryland Law:
 
  4.  Adoption records Hospital records
 
  5.  Welfare records Student records (except by supervising public official, discreet information is allowed to certain parties)
 
  6.  Letters of reference Risk Based Capital Reports  (filed with Insurance Commissioner)
 
  7.  Circulation records (individual library)
 
  8.  Transit Records (generated at transit electronic toll systems; except by attorney of record)

  9.  Gifts (to museums or archives when confidentiality is requested)

 10.  Higher education investment contracts

 11.  Retirement records  (except by person in interest, guardian, beneficiary or police)

 12.  Recorded images from traffic control signal monitoring systems

 13.  Police traffic accident and other reports (requested by attorneys for marketing purposes)

 14.  Motor vehicle records  (unless with personal consent or by federal law or state law)

 15.  Personnel records  (job application, performance evaluation, scholastic achievement information except when requested by supervisor or employee)

 16.  Records pertaining to arrest warrants  (includes charging documents)

In addition certain types of information within public records must also be denied release to the publicand the Town is not permitted to release the following specific information found  within a public record: 
 17.  Medical or physiological information (other than to the person that is the subject of the record or an autopsy by a medical examiner)
 
 18.  Sociological information (if the custodian has adopted rules defining this information for the study of social behavior, it can deny that information according to the rules)

 19.  Commercial information (including trade secrets, confidential commercial,  financial, or geological information)

 20.  Public employees (a custodian may deny release of employee's home address  and telephone number unless the employee allows its release or the employer deems an overriding public interest.)

 21.  Financial information (a custodian must deny information concerning assets, income, liabilities, net worth, etc. of individuals; however, requests for public official or employee salary information cannot be denied.)

 22.  Information systems (to ensure security of computers)

 23.  Licensing records (occupation and profession information must be denied except for name, business address and telephone number, education or occupational background, qualifications, disciplinary findings and other information.)

Furthermore, if inspection would be "contrary to the public interest" (monetary or legal interests of the municipality), the Town, unless required by other law, is permitted to make denials of inspection of a part of a public record as indicated below:

 24.  Interagency and intra-agency documents (privileged, pre-decisional letters or memos of the executive branch expressing opinion that would inhibit candor in the decision making process if disclosed or would not be available by law to aprivate party anticipating litigation against the municipality)

 25.  Examinations (scoring keys and test results, except inspection only of results by the examinee after the exam)

 26.  Research projects (conducted by the municipality except for information on the name of the project, costs, and due dates)

 27.  Real property information (all information until title is acquired; any appraisal obtained must be released to the owner)

 28.  Investigations (records or intelligence of the city attorney or police department for law enforcement purposes)