Costs
The District may charge a fee for the search, review, separation of exempt from non-exempt information, copying and mailing of documents. Upon receipt of the request, if a fee is to be assessed, the requester will be provided a detailed itemization of fees that will list and explain the allowable charges that compose the total fee and the District will ask whether he/she wants to proceed. In calculating the cost of labor incurred, the District can charge the hourly wage, plus fringe benefit costs, of the lowest paid employee capable of performing the task. The labor costs are estimated and charged in increments of fifteen (15) minutes, with all partial increments rounded down. If the District does not employ someone capable of determining what information should be released, the District may contract the work to an outside person or organization. In such instances, the requester will be notified of the name of the contacted person/firm on the detailed itemization of fees. The cost of contracted services cannot exceed six times the minimum wage.
In addition, the requester may be charged the actual cost of any non-paper physical media (e.g., computer disks, tapes, etc.) or paper requests. The maximum charge per piece of letter/legal sized paper is .10 (10 cents), as well as the actual cost of mailing the request.
If the information that is requested is available online, the District will notify the requester of such, including the specific webpage location where the information can be found. Online availability will be noted separately on the fee summary. If the requester still requests paper copies, he/she may be charge an additional fee and will be notified of the amount in the itemized fee summary.
Upon determination and disclosure of the fee, if the estimate exceeds $50.00, the FOIA enables the District to require a good faith deposit of up to half of the estimate before beginning the search for documents.
The first $20.00 of the fee must be waived for a person who is on welfare or presents facts showing inability to pay because of indigency. Even in such cases, however, the District may still charge a fee if the person has already received discounted copies from the District twice during the calendar year or if the request is made on behalf of an outside party who is offering payment. The first $20.00 of the fee will also be waived for a non-profit organization designated by the State to carry out certain activities related to persons with disabilities.
Fee Schedule
Thornapple Kellogg School charges the following fees:
a. Manual searching for or reviewing of records -
As of July 1, 2020, the hourly rate for a staff member capable of searching, locating, examining, and separating/deleting exempt information from non-exempt information public records for disclosure is a minimum of $33.00 per hour, plus fringe benefit costs of $16.50 per hour. Labor costs estimated and charged will be in increments of fifteen (15) minutes and all partial increments will be rounded down.
b. Computer searching and printing -
The actual cost of operating the computer plus charges for the time spent by the operator, at the rates given in paragraph (a) of this section.
c. Contracted Services -
If there is no employee capable of separating/deleting exempt information, as determined by the FOIA Coordinator, the District may utilize a contracted individual/firm. The name of the individual/firm will be included on the detailed itemization of fees. The total amount charged will not exceed six times the state minimum wage.
d. Photocopying standard size pages -
$.10 (10 cents) per page. The FOIA Coordinator may charge lower fees for particular documents where-
1. The document has already been printed in large numbers,
2. The program office determines that using existing stock to answer this request, and any other anticipated FOIA requests, will not interfere with program requirements, and
3. The FOIA Coordinator determines that the lower fee is adequate to recover the prorated share of the original printing costs.
e. Photocopying odd-size documents (such as punchcards or blueprints), or reproducing other records (such as tapes) -
The actual cost of operating the machine, plus the actual cost of the materials used, plus charges for the time spent by the operator, at the rates given in paragraph (a) of this section.
f. Certifying that records are true copies -
This service is not required by the FOIA. If we agree to provide it, we will charge $10 per certification.
g. Sending records by express mail, certified mail, or other special methods -
Actual costs of operating any machinery, plus actual cost of any materials used, plus charges for the time of our employees, at the rates given in paragraph (a) of this section.
h. Performing any other special service that you request and we agree to -
Actual costs of operating any machinery, plus actual cost of any materials used, plus charges for the time of our employees, at the rates given in paragraph (a) of this section.