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Rockville council endorses fee discussion for public-record requests and asks attorney for billing details
Summary
Council discussed instituting an upfront fee (options $50–$100) for data requests and charging attorney review costs; members authorized staff to obtain attorney billing info and plan a public hearing in January on the fee policy.
Councilors debated whether to charge requesters a flat upfront fee for public-record requests to cover staff and attorney time. Staff noted the city currently charges nothing; council members suggested a flat fee (proposals ranged from $50 to $100) for the initial search and collection, with additional fees if attorney review is required. Councilors emphasized collecting an upfront deposit if the city expects attorney involvement, so the city does not absorb legal costs when a requester declines the material after work begins.
Members discussed the practicalities of hourly tracking and preferred a simple flat fee rather than a 15-minute increment scheme that would require close time-tracking. One councilor proposed $100 as a minimum; others suggested $50. The council agreed to ask the city attorney for recent billing details on comparable reviews and authorized staff to request that information. They also agreed to schedule a public hearing on any proposed fee change in January, allowing a courtesy period until then for requests under existing practices.
The council did not yet adopt a specific fee schedule; it directed staff to collect attorney-billing data and prepare a proposed fee structure for public hearing and later council vote.
