OAR 628-010-0220: Public Records Requests and Fees for Public Records

(1) A request to inspect or receive a copy of a public record must: (a) Be made in writing and must identify as specifically as possible the type of record(s), subject matter, approximate date(s), names of persons involved, business or organization involved; (b) The name, address, phone number and email address of the person requesting the public records; and (c) R equests must be sent to the “Administrator/Public Records Information Officer” at the office of Oregon Forest Resources Institute, 9755 SW Barnes Road, Suite 210, Portland, OR 97225 or by email to publicrecordsadministrator@ofri.org. (2) As authorized by law, the Institute charges the following fees reasonably calculated to reimburse the Institute for its actual cost in making public records available, including costs for summarizing, compiling and tailoring the public records to meet the request: (a) Records search by clerical staff at $25.00 per hour; (b) Records search by managerial staff at $40.00 per hour; (c) Records search by professional staff at $75.00 per hour; (d) Copies at current state printing and distribution price list; (e) Media at cost set forth in statewide price agreement; (f) Postage at current postal rates; (g) If the request appears to require Institute services for which no fee has been established (computer time, travel, shipping cost, communication costs, etc.), the actual cost shall be determined or estimated by the Institute. (3) The Institute may also include in the fee an estimate of actual cost of anticipated time spent by an attorney for the Institute in reviewing the public records, redacting material from the public records or segregating the public records into exempt and nonexempt records. The fee shall not include the cost of time spent by an attorney for the Institute in determining the application of the provisions of ORS 192.311 to 192.478. (4) If the Institute can fulfill a request for records using less than 30 minutes of staff time, the Institute shall not charge the requester. (5) If in reviewing the request the Institute determines that a fee will likely exceed $25, the Institute shall estimate the allowable fee and provide the requester with a written notification of the estimated amount of the fee. (6) The requester must pay all fees in advance. (7) Any person requesting a fee waiver or reduction from the Institute must submit the request in writing. (8) The Institute may furnish copies without charge or at the following substantially reduced fees if the Institute determines that a fee waiver or reduction of fees is in the public interest because making the record available primarily benefits the general public: (a) Records search by clerical staff at $20.00 per hour; (b) Records search by managerial staff at $32.00 per hour; (c) Records search by professional staff at $60.00 per hour; (d) Copies at current state printing and distribution price list; (e) Media at cost set forth in statewide price agreement; (f) Postage at current postal rates; (g) No additional cost considerations will be included in the invoiced amount passed on to the request under this reduced fee structure; and (h) DOJ, special attorney and other applicable legal fees, at $75.00 per hour.