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County to consider appeal over $1,000 fee for full assessing/GIS dataset
Summary
A resident requester from Wisconsin has appealed the county's $1,000 fee for enhanced assessing and GIS data. County staff say the data is viewable online but the requester seeks a full electronic data package; the appeal is scheduled for the next meeting and county counsel has been consulted.
The Gratiot County administrator told commissioners the county has received an appeal from a requestor, Justin Meyers of Superior, Wisconsin, seeking the county's full assessing, mapping and planning datasets in an electronic format. Meyers asked for the material under FOIA; county practice and a recent policy segregate that enhanced dataset and impose a $1,000 fee for electronic delivery.
"You don't get to make that decision," the administrator said, explaining that the county determines whether the Enhanced Data Access Act applies and sets a higher fee to reflect the work and value in compiling the countywide dataset. The administrator said the data is also available for public viewing on the county GIS web pages but that the requester insists on receiving a packaged electronic file.
The matter will appear on the board's next meeting agenda for formal consideration of the appeal; county counsel has been contacted to confirm the distinction between FOIA and the Enhanced Data Access Act and to advise whether a reduced fee or alternative delivery method is appropriate. The administrator said a worst‑case estimate for providing the dataset on a large storage device might include the cost of a terabyte drive, but staff will explore lower-cost delivery options.
If the board upholds the fee, the requester could pursue circuit-court review. Commissioners asked for the full file and staff's legal analysis before taking a final action.
