Public Records Request
Californians have a right under the state Public Records Act (Government Code §6250 et seq.) and the California Constitution (Article I) to access public information maintained by government agencies. Click here to download A POCKET GUIDE TO THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT
The following are guidelines for accessing public records at Vandenberg Village Community Services District.
If you are seeking access to your customer account, click here to log on to our online account management tool. Be sure to have a copy of your bill handy for verification questions.
Guidelines for Public Records Access
- Direct Your Request
to the District Office.
- Call (805) 733-2475
- Visit the office at 3757 Constellation Road, Vandenberg Village
- Send an email to
administration@vvcsd.org
- Written Requests Encouraged. The
District encourages, but does not require, requests for records to
be made in writing. Written requests help the District respond to
the request and to correctly identify the records requested. Denials of
written requests will be provided in writing. When requests are made
orally, the District may confirm the request in writing to ensure
it has correctly understood the request.
Click here to download
Public Records Request Form
- Records Defined. A record is defined as any
document consisting of a “writing” as defined in California
Government Code 6252(g).
- Identifying Records. In order to help the District provide
records promptly, requesters should provide specific information
about the records they seek. When a record cannot be identified by
name, the requester should attempt to be as specific as possible in
describing the record, based on its content. When
a request is not sufficiently specific, District staff will help
the requester to identify the information.
- Inspection of Public Records. Public
records maintained by the District shall be available for
inspection during the District’s regular business hours. Members
of the public are not required to give notice in order to inspect
public records at District offices during normal working hours.
However if the request requires the retrieval, review, or redaction
of records, a mutually agreeable time should be established for
inspection of the records. In order to prevent
records from being lost, damaged or destroyed during an inspection,
District employees may determine the location of, and may monitor,
the inspection.
- Processing Requests for Copies of Records. When
a copy of a record is requested, and the record cannot be produced
immediately, the District will determine within 10 days after
receipt of the request, whether to comply with the request, and
shall promptly inform the requester of its decision and the reasons
for the decision. The initial 10-day period may be extended for up
to an additional 14 days if the District needs to inspect voluminous
records or retrieve files from storage facility. Whenever
possible, the District will provide records at the time the
determination is made to disclose them. If immediate disclosure is
not possible, the District will provide an estimated date when the
records will be available, and will provide the records within a
reasonable period of time.
- Copying Fees. The District may charge the direct cost of
duplication when it provides copies of records to the public (20
cents per page). The direct cost of duplication includes the pro
rata expense of the duplicating equipment and the staff
(salary/benefits) required to make a copy of the record. Direct cost
of duplication does not include the staff person’s time in
researching, retrieving, and redacting the record. When the
District must compile electronic data, extract information from an
electronic record, or undertake computer programming to satisfy a
request, the District may require the requester to bear the full
costs, not just the direct cost of duplication. The actual cost of
postage will also be charged for those requests mailed to the
requester.
Click
here to download credit card authorization form.
- Exemptions. The District will provide
access to all public records upon request unless the law provides an
exemption from mandatory disclosure. Examples of records exempt from
mandatory disclosure under the California Public Records Act
include: certain personnel records, investigative records, drafts,
confidential legal advice, records prepared in connection with
litigation, and information that may be kept confidential pursuant
to other state or federal statutes. In most circumstances, when the
District removes or redacts exempt information from the record, it
will disclose the remainder of the record.
- Identification of Requesters. District personnel shall not demand that persons requesting to inspect records provide their identification, or the reasons for wanting to inspect records. However, if records are to be picked up or mailed to a requester, relevant identifying and credit card information must be provided.