FOIA Requests

Hillman Township is subject to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) of 1976. We will work diligently to honor any FOIA requests subject to that law. Below is our FOIA request form. For more information, please call the township office at (989) 742-3096.

FOIA Request Form FOIA Procedures and Guidelines

Inspection of Records

Public Inspection Records

Upon receiving a verbal request to inspect township records, the township shall furnish the requesting person with a reasonable opportunity and reasonable facilities for inspection and examination of its public records.

A person shall be allowed to inspect public records during usual business hours, not less than four hours per day. The public does not have unlimited access to township offices or facilities, and a person may be required to inspect records at a specified counter or table, and in view of township personnel.

Township officials, appointees, staff or consultants/contractors assisting with inspection of public records shall inform any person inspecting records that only pencils, and no pens or ink, may be used to take notes.

In coordination with the official responsible for the records, the FOIA coordinator shall determine on a case-by-case basis when the township will provide copies of original records, to allow for blacking out exempt information, to protect old or delicate original records, or because the original record is a digital file or database not available for public inspection.

The (clerk, FOIA coordinator, other) is responsible for identifying if records or information requested by the public is stored in digital files or e-mail, even if the public does not specifically request a digital file or e-mail.

A person cannot remove books, records or files from the place the township has provided for the inspection.

No documents shall be removed from the office of the custodian of those documents without permission of that custodian, except by court order, subpoena or for audit purposes. The official shall be given a receipt listing the records being removed. Documents may be removed from the office of the custodian of those documents with permission of that custodian to accommodate public inspection of those documents.

Copies May Be Required to Enable Public Inspection of Records

In coordination with the official responsible for the records, the FOIA coordinator will determine (by policy, on a case-by-case basis, or both) when the township will provide copies of original records, to allow for blacking out exempt information, to protect old or delicate original records, or because the original record is a digital file or database not available for public inspection.

Optional: A fee will be charged for copies made to enable public inspection of records, according to the township’s FOIA policy.