Under FOIA (5 ILCS 140/1-17), records in possession of all government agencies may be obtained or accessed by the public upon written request. A public record may be any minutes, report, form, letter, memoranda, map, photograph, recording, and all other documentary material received, possessed or under control of a public body.

FOIA requests should be submitted to one of the Park District FOIA Officers:

When making a FOIA request, be as specific as possible. The request should include the specific information needed for your inquiry. A focused, specific request will aid in avoiding any delays or receipt of excess or unuseful information. It might be necessary for the FOIA Officer to contact you to clarify your request. Please provide the following in your request:

• The requestor’s full name, address and phone number;
• A description of records sought, being as specific as possible and
• Whether the request is for copies of records or inspection of records.
• The requestor will be informed in writing or electronically within 5 working days of the status of the request (e.g. approved, denied or delayed).

Per statute, the first 50 pages of black and white copies are free. Thereafter, the fee charged is $.15 per page. Additional fees for certification of records are charged at $1.00 per certification.