You can submit your Public Records Request in person, by phone, through email, or by completing the form below.  See information on left for instructions on submitting your request.

Requests for "all records" or substantially all records held by an agency are generally not valid public records requests. To help us locate records more quickly, please include details such as:  Title of the record(s) * Subject * Author * Date range.  List all known departments or employees that may be involved in requested records.


There are several ways to submit a Public Records Request to the City of Okanogan.  Please provide as much detail as possible to avoid delays in processing your request.
A public record is any record containing information relating to the conduct of government business, which is prepared, owned, used, or retained by an agency. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic media, paper, email, audiotapes, videotapes,  and disks (CDs/DVDs). A valid public records request is a request for a specific and identifiable public document. A request for general information is not a valid public records request. You do not have to identify the record you want with exact precision, but as much detail as you can provide will be helpful. Our staff may assist in clarifying your request.
No. Once the City receives a public records request, the request itself becomes a public record of the City of Okanogan. Someone else may make a public records request for that document and we will provide it. 
Each record must be reviewed to determine whether it is exempt from disclosure. Most exemptions are listed in RCW 42.56.230 - 42.56.480. However, certain state and federal statutes outside the Public Records Act also provide exemptions from disclosure or prohibitions on disclosure of particular records. When an agency denies a request for disclosure of a public record, the specific statutory exemption on which the denial is based must be identified, along with a brief explanation of how the exemption applies.
RCW 42.56.520 provides that a response to a request for public records must be made within five (5) business days. The day the request is received does not count as one of the five (5) days. Weekends and holidays observed by the City are also excluded in the calculation. Within the five (5) days, the City will do one of the following: - provide the records (or an installment of the records) - acknowledge receipt of the request and give an estimated timetable for delivery - ask for clarification - deny the request with a statement as to why the record is being withheld and a citation of the applicable state or federal statute.
No. Washington case law has established that an agency is not required to create an otherwise non-existent record.
Yes.  The policy is linked below.
Resolution 2019-5 Public Records Request Policy