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Phoenixville adopts right‑to‑know ordinance update and formal response policy
Summary
Council unanimously amended borough ordinances to allow adoption of a right‑to‑know policy by resolution and then adopted a resolution establishing the borough’s policy for responding to right‑to‑know requests, aimed at clarifying procedures and reducing staff and solicitor time expenditure.
Phoenixville Borough Council on Dec. 9 approved an ordinance amendment to chapter 1 (administration and government) allowing the borough to adopt a right‑to‑know policy by resolution and then adopted a resolution that sets the borough’s procedural approach to right‑to‑know requests.
Solicitor (unnamed) explained that the change allows the borough to adopt a policy consistent with the state Right‑to‑Know Law that supplements borough procedures; without a policy, the borough must perform interpretive analyses of certain correspondence, which can create liability and additional solicitor time. The solicitor said the policy clarifies procedures and reduces staff and solicitor effort while preserving the public’s ability to request information.
A council member emphasized the measure is not intended to “take away anybody’s right to request information,” and another summarized that the change was motivated by the time and cost the borough incurs responding to requests. Council voted 7‑0 to adopt both the ordinance amendment and the resolution.
The policy text will be published on the borough website following adoption; staff said the state‑issued Right‑to‑Know request form remains recommended to streamline processing.
