The August 21st Public Records Request
Pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act (“KORA”), K.S.A. 45-215 et seq., I respectfully request copies of the following records maintained by the City of Ottawa and its departments therein relating to the acquisition, deployment, and use of automated license plate readers (“ALPRs”).
What companies does Ottawa or its departments contract with for its License Plate Reader (LPR)/ Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR)?
Does Ottawa use any other electronic technology like noise detection technology? If so, with which companies?
Contract date(s) with these companies.
Dates of City Council meetings discussing the presentation, proposals, procurement, and locations of these technologies.
If those dates predate the information available on the City’s portal, provide copies of the agendas, minutes, and link to the meetings.
Emails and text messages between any representatives of the City (past and present) and these companies; and emails and text messages between past and present members of the City Commissioner, City staff, and any members of City Departments, ie. Chief of Police discussing the ALPR/LPR and noise detection systems.
I prefer this information sent to the provided email address.
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The Response
Invoice sent – $254.40
Good morning,
The City has reviewed your open records request and has prepared an estimate for the initial search and export of potentially responsive records.
The estimated time and cost for the initial search and export is as follows:
- Information Technology: 2 hours at $26.76 per hour = $53.52
- Ottawa Police Department [Chief of Police]: 8 hours at $25.11 per hour = $200.88
The total estimated cost for the initial search and export is $254.40.
Please see the attached invoice. This estimate is limited to the time required for City staff to search for and export potentially responsive records based on the scope of your request.
This estimate does not include the time required to review the records for responsiveness, identify information that may require redaction or withholding under KORA, complete any necessary redactions or legal review, or prepare the records for release.
Once the initial search and export is completed and the number of potentially responsive records is known, the City will determine the estimated time and cost necessary to review, redact, and prepare the responsive records for release. We will provide that additional estimate before proceeding with that portion of the request.
Once payment of the attached invoice has been received, the City will begin the initial search and export. Due to the scope of the request and current staffing availability, the City estimates that the initial search and export will take approximately three weeks from the date payment is received to complete.
Payment may be made by calling 785-229-3600, Option 1, and letting staff know you are making payment for an open records request.
Thank you,
Melissa Scherman
Now, the back and forth
I am submitting this request for non-commercial purposes, in the public interest of understanding the acquisition, oversight, and use of surveillance technology by a Kansas public agency, and I respectfully ask that any available fee reduction or waiver be applied on that basis.
Message to requester
Good afternoon,
Thank you for providing the additional information regarding the purpose of your request.
The City has considered your request for a fee waiver or reduction. At this time, the City will not be waiving or reducing the fees associated with processing this request.
The estimated fees reflect the staff time necessary to search for and export potentially responsive records.
The previously provided estimate and invoice will therefore remain in effect.
Thank you,
Melissa Scherman
My response
At this time, I am requesting this request be closed.
I am going to submit a new request to expand the data desired so I am not burdening anyone with additional work as the new request should include data available while gather information from this request.
