Formal Requests

Formal Requests. A formal request for documents may be made to the Board pursuant to the provisions of this rule. The Executive Secretary is designated as the Public Records Compliance Officer. (1) Form. (a) Any individual seeking to inspect, copy or mechanically reproduce or obtain a reproduction of any public record of the board should make a written request, signed by themselves to be mailed or hand-delivered to the Executive Secretary, Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Board. (b) The written request must be typed or clearly hand printed on a letter size piece of paper and shall specify in detail the public record sought. The request should include, if possible, a description of the type of record, dates, title of a publication, and other information which may aid in locating the record. (c) The written request must specify what the applicant proposes to do with the record, i.e., inspect, copy, etc. state the date and time for the proposed activity; state the number of persons scheduled to participate; and shall provide the name, address, and home and office telephone number of the applicant. (2) Time. The Executive Secretary, upon receipt of any such request, shall review same and determine whether the records sought are exempt under the Mississippi Public Records Act, and shall either produce records or access to records or deny access to or production of the records sought within seven (7) working days from the date of the receipt of the request for the production of the record. If the Board is unable to produce a public record by the seventh working day after the request is made, the Board will provide a written explanation to the person making the request stating that the record requested will be produced and specifying with particularity why the records cannot be produced within the seven-day period. Unless there is a mutual agreement of the parties, in no event shall the date for the Board’s production of the request records be any later than fourteen (14) working days from the receipt of the original request. (3) Copying. All inspection, copying or mechanical reproduction shall be done in the offices of the Board or such other reasonable place within the State of Mississippi as may be designated by the Board. It shall be the duty of the applicant to contact the Executive Secretary by phone before noon of the first working day preceding the proposed date set out in the application to determine if same is acceptable and, if not, what date and/or time will be substituted. (4) Charges. (a) The Executive Secretary is authorized to calculate the estimated cost of searching, obtaining from storage, reviewing, shipping and/or duplicating records and to require payment in advance of such estimated charges prior to complying with the request. There shall be reasonable charge to be determined by the Board per page for each copy. Copies printed on both sides (front & back) shall be considered as two pages for copy charge purposes. Mailing cost shall be calculated at the applicable rate for each such mailing. If request involves notice to be given to a third party, the cost of mailing such notice via certified mail return receipt requested shall be charged to the person requesting such public records. In the event the actual cost of such activity exceeds the estimate, the Board is authorized to withhold mailing or delivery of said documents or to delay the inspection until the difference is paid. (b) There shall be no charge for inspection of the current Board’s records maintained at the Board office. Cost of obtaining records from any state storage facilities and the search for it shall be charged to the applicant. (c) The Executive Secretary may waive any or all of the foregoing requirements related to written notice, time, and method of access prepayment of expenses whenever the determination is made that such waiver would be in the public interest.