Public Records

Overview

As the City’s records manager, the City Recorder coordinates public records requests and is responsible for the maintenance, preservation and retention of City documents to ensure compliance with state records law. The City Council minutes, Municipal Charter, Eugene Code, ordinances, resolutions and other documents are historic and are retained permanently. The City Recorder maintains an archive facility in a separate secured location for the storage and preservation of historic and inactive records. The City Recorder also monitors and maintains City contracts, and records City deeds and land use agreements.


Making a Public Records Request

In providing public records by request, the City of Eugene voluntarily and lawfully maintains as much transparency as possible in its actions and decisions. This transparency is of great importance to the City of Eugene’s City Recorder’s Office. If you have any questions about this process, please email the City Recorder’s Office or call 541-682-5042.


Please try to be as specific as possible about the public record(s) you are seeking. For example, asking for “any and all” documents relating to a particular subject or multiple criteria may require a substantial amount of staff time to locate, compile, review and produce, may lead to a vast number of responsive documents, and may represent a significant cost to the requestor.


How do I submit a request?

Also learn how to request a Eugene Police Department record.


Who responds?

While public records requests may be made directly to the City Recorder’s Office, each City department has a designated Public Record Coordinator who responds to public records requests submitted to their department or division.


There are three levels of requests, which range in complexity and fee structure. The City Recorder’s Office or appropriate Public Record Coordinator will determine what level to assign to a request.


How long does the response take?

Per Oregon Revised Statues (ORS) 192.324(2), the City of Eugene shall within 5 business days after receiving a request acknowledge receipt of the request, or complete the request. This acknowledgement will confirm that the city is or is not the custodian of the requested document(s), or if there is uncertainty as to whether the city is the custodian. Per ORS 192.329 (5), the City of Eugene shall as soon as reasonably possible but not later than 10 days after acknowledgement of receipt of a request, complete the request or provide a written statement that the city is still processing the request with a reasonable updated time estimate for completion.


Please note that some requests may require additional forms be completed before the request may be fulfilled. This may add additional time to the request.


Is there a fee?

In general, requests which take a combined total of 30 minutes or less and which do not require resources, will be fulfilled without cost.


However, ORS 192.324(1) does authorize the City to charge fees associated with public records requests which require more substantial staff time and resources. Upon receipt of acknowledgement, the City will communicate these costs before fulfilling the request. These fees must be paid before retrieval begins. The requestor will be notified if costs exceed the written estimate given. A refund will be given if costs are less than estimated. If a fee is required, per ORS 192.329 (3)(b), the requester has 60 days to pay the fee before the City of Eugene closes the request. Some request fees may be eligible for a fee waiver.


Please note the City of Eugene is not the custodian of the following types of records: 

Common links which do not require a public records request:

Building Permit, Code Compliance, and Land Use Information:

Eugene Municipal Court Records

Attorney General’s Government Transparency Report

In response to growing public frustration with Oregon’s Public Records Law, then-Attorney General John Kroger launched a systematic review to identify weak points and suggest improvements to the law in time for the 2011 legislative session. During this process, the Attorney General received hundreds of suggestions and comments, and then catalogued and highlighted potential solutions to the most pressing problems. The result is the Attorney General’s Government Transparency Report.