FOI Process

Freedom of Information (FOI) Fee Schedule

• If records are in an electronic format there is no charge.
• Printed documents charge will include both the cost of reproduction and personnel costs for research and retrieval; this cost will consist of prorated hourly rate of no less than $15.00 and a cost of $.30 per page.
• Video tape -$10.00

These rates are subject to change.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

Fairfield County Council recognizes the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) found at S.C. Code Ann. § 30-40-10, et seq. The South Carolina General Assembly, through FOIA, has provided that “public business be performed in an open and public manner” and has given every citizen the right to access government meetings, documents, and records. Many of the public documents can be found on the County’s website.

All FOIA requests for information seeking records not found on the County’s website must be made in writing. To assist citizens in making FOIA requests, the County has created the attached FOIA Request Form. This form is only intended to simplify the process for citizens when making their written FOIA requests and by no means is a requirement by the County to process any written requests it receives.

FOIA provides rules for the time Fairfield County has to respond to FOIA requests. Pursuant to S.C .Code Ann. § 30-40-30(C), Fairfield County has ten (10) days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays, from receipt of the request to notify the requestor of its determination as to what records the County can produce. If the requested records are more than 24 months old, the County has twenty (20) days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays, to make its determination as to what records the County can produce.

Once the County makes its determination, which is the “final opinion of the public body as to the public availability of the requested public record,” the County must produce the record no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the determination unless arrangements are otherwise made by the County. If the records are more than 24 months old, the County must produce them no later than thirty-five (35) days from the date of the determination.

Any questions about the Fairfield County FOIA policy should be directed to Karen Roseberry, Administrative Assistant at 803-815-4001.

Click to download. Freedom of Information Act Request Form

FOIA request form for the Fairfield Joint Water & Sewer System

Any questions about the Fairfield County FOIA policy should be directed to Patti Davis, Clerk to Council at 803-635-1620.

Click to download. FIOA Fairfield Water Sewer