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Like other units of government, the Village of Northfield is required under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to disclose records requested in writing by any person. However, some information may be denied per State Statues such as private information, personal information that if disclosed would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, law enforcement records that if disclosed would interfere with a pending or reasonably contemplated proceeding or disclose the identity of a confidential source, preliminary drafts or notes in which opinions are expressed or policies formulated, business trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is proprietary, privileged or confidential, proposals and bids prior to final selection and requests that are unduly burdensome..
To submit a FOIA request, “click here”.
FOIA requests must be in writing but you are not required to use the form provided on this website. Requests must include your name, address, date, and daytime phone number so you can be contacted with any questions. Also, provide as much information as possible on the subject matter requested to help expedite the search. A list of FOIA Officers/Coordinators for Northfield and contact information can be found under the Municipal Information Directory.
Each municipal department is responsible for processing FOIA requests in five (5) business days for the records it maintains. Consult Table 1 under the Directory for a listing of the Departments and the types of records they might have. For information on the fees associated with FOIA records, consult the Municipal Records Directory.
What to do if your FOIA request is denied.
If the Village denies your FOIA request, it will be in writing and will reference a specific legal reason under FOIA to justify non-disclosure. The denial will also inform the requestor of their right to seek review of the issue by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) in the Attorney General’s office and provide the PAC’s contact information. You can either file a Request for Review with the Attorney General’s PAC or file a lawsuit in court. A Request for Review must be in writing, must be signed by the requestor and must include a copy of the FOIA request for access to records and any responses from the public body. It must be submitted within 60 calendar days of the Village’s final response (or date upon which the response was due).
How to contact the Public Access Counselor in the Attorney General’s office.
Email your Request for Review to: publicaccess@atg.state.il.us
Mail your letter to:
Public Access Bureau
500 S. 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 217-558-0486
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