Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a state statute (5 ILCS 140) that provides a straightforward, easy-to-use method for the public to access government records. Any person who wishes to inspect and obtain copies of public records from the Village of Burr Ridge may submit a FOIA request. 

How to Submit a FOIA Request

  1. Please review the transparency and accountability section of the website, as the information you are seeking may already be publicly available.
  2. Read the Frequently Asked Questions information below. 
  3. Submit an Online FOIA request
    1. General FOIA Request
    2. Police Department FOIA Request
Submitting a Manual Request
For administrative and environmental purposes, the Village of Burr Ridge prefers you submit FOIA requests using the online submission forms to either the Police Department FOIA Officer or the Village FOIA Officer. You may still submit your request using this FOIA form (PDF) if you prefer to print it and submit it manually. 

FOIA requests are processed between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Village has five days to respond to most FOIA requests.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a FOIA Request?
The Village of Burr Ridge is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Other public bodies subject to the Act include any legislative, executive, administrative, or advisory bodies of the State; state universities and colleges; counties; school districts and all other boards, bureaus, committees, or commissions of the State; and any subsidiary bodies (such as committees and subcommittees) that are supported by or expend tax revenue. The judiciary is not subject to the Act, but court records and legal proceedings are generally open to the public.

The Illinois General Assembly enacted Public Act 83-1013, the short title of which is the "Freedom of Information Act," which took effect July 1, 1984. The Act's purpose is to provide the public with greater access to the records of public bodies. The Act states that "all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts and policies of those who represent them as public officials and public employees . . ." Within specified limitations, the Act allows anyone to inspect and obtain copies of all public records prepared, possessed, used by, or controlled by any public body. Anyone may obtain these documents, including individuals, groups, associations, corporations, firms, partnerships, and organizations.
 
Every public body subject to the Freedom of Information Act must make its existing records available. The Act does not require these bodies to answer specific questions, create new records, or keep a central library or index of all government records.  
How do I submit a FOIA Request?
Police Department FOIA Requests
Requests for information or records that pertain to the Village of Burr Ridge Police Department should be submitted online via this online submission form.

For administrative and environmental purposes, the Village prefers FOIA requests to be submitted using the online submission form. However, you may still submit your request using this FOIA form (PDF) sent to the attention of the PD FOIA Officer at the Burr Ridge Police Department, 7700 County Line Road, Burr Ridge, IL 60527. 

You may submit a completed request in person or via mail to the PD FOIA Officer during regular business hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

General FOIA Requests
FOIA requests for information or records that pertain to the general operations of the Village, such as Administration, Community Development, Zoning, Public Works, and Finance. should be submitted online via this online submission form.

For administrative and environmental purposes, the Village prefers FOIA requests to be submitted using the online submission form. However, you may still submit your request using this FOIA form (PDF) sent to the attention of the Village FOIA Officer at the Burr Ridge Village Hall, 7660 County Line Road, Burr Ridge, IL 60527.

FOIA Officers
Village FOIA Officer
Shirley Benedict
7660 County Line Road,
Burr Ridge IL 60527
FOIA@burr-ridge.gov		 PD FOIA Officer
Deputy Chief Marc Loftus
7700 County Line Road,
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
PoliceAdmin@burr-ridge.gov

Important Reminders:
  1. If you want any records certified, you must indicate that on your request. 
  2. If you wish to inspect records rather than copy them, you may do so at our offices during regular business hours by scheduling an appointment with the respective FOIA Officer.
  3. If the FOIA Officer is unavailable at the time of your request, an employee of the Village acting under the direction of the FOIA Officer can accept your request.
  4. If you submit a letter requesting information, remember to date your letter and keep a copy for your records. You are encouraged to send mailed requests via certified mail and request a return receipt to ensure you have a  record of the date on which your request was received.
  5. Be specific in your records request.
    1. If you request all records applicable to a general category, this may cause an undue burden on the Village and cause a delay or refusal of your request. A specific request will avoid confusion,  burden, and high copying fees.
    2. For example, if you seek information on a topic but want to exclude records created before or after a specific date), you can ask that these be omitted.
  6. Under the Freedom of Information Act, you can request a fee waiver or reduction if your disclosure request qualifies. The Act gives the Village discretion to grant fee waivers or reductions when disclosure is in the public interest.
What information can I request?
Most Public Records
Most commonly requested information is readily available through the transparency and accountability portal.
What Is Considered A “Public Record?"
“Public records” are defined in FOIA as “all records, reports, forms, writings, letters, memoranda, books, papers, maps, photographs, microfilms, cards, tapes, recordings, electronic data processing records, electronic communications, recorded information and all other documentary materials pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of any public body.” (5 ILCS 140/2(c)) Given this broad definition, FOIA is intended to cover any document, regardless of form, that pertains to government business.

Does “Public Record” Include Electronic Information?
Yes. FOIA defines public records to include electronic documents and communications. When a person requests a record that is maintained in an electronic format, the public body must provide it in the electronic format specified by the request, if that is feasible for the public body. If it is not feasible, the public body must present the information in the format in which it is maintained by the public body or in a paper format at the option of the requestor. The public body may charge a fee for the actual cost of purchasing the recording medium but may not charge a fee for its search for or review of the information.
What information is exempt from requests?
Records That Are Not Public
The FOIA law has a presumption that all information is public unless the public body proves otherwise. There are several exceptions to public disclosure that include but are not limited to:
  • Private information – “Private information” is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. FOIA defines “private information” as “unique identifiers, including a person’s social security number, driver’s license number, employee identification number, biometric identifiers, personal financial information, passwords or other access codes, medical records, home or personal telephone numbers, and personal e-mail addresses.” Under FOIA, “private information also includes home addresses and personal license plate numbers, except as otherwise provided by law or when compiled without possibility of attribution to any person.”
  • Personal information that, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the person who is the subject of the information. Under FOIA, the “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy” means the “disclosure of information that is highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person and in which the subject’s right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information.” Disclosing information that relates to the public duties of public employees is not considered an invasion of personal privacy.
  • Law enforcement records that, if disclosed, would interfere with a pending or reasonably contemplated proceeding or that would disclose the identity of a confidential source.
  • Information that, if disclosed, might endanger anyone’s life or physical safety.
  • Preliminary drafts or notes in which opinions are expressed, or policies are formulated, unless the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body.
  • Business trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is proprietary, privileged, or confidential and disclosure would cause competitive harm to the person or business.
  • Proposals and bids for any contract until a final selection is made.
  • Requests that are “unduly burdensome.”
  • For a complete list of exemptions from the State of Illinois, go to the Illinois General Assembly/Illinois Compiled Statutes.
What response can I expect from the Village?
Upon receipt of a FOIA request, the FOIA Officer shall determine whether the request is exempt or nonexempt under the provisions of the FOIA. The FOIA Officer shall respond in one of the following ways: disclosure, delay, and denial.

Disclosure:  The Village will disclose records in response to your request unless an exemption provided by the act can be properly invoked within five (5) working days after the request has been received.

Delay:  No later than the fifth business day following your request, the Village may inform you, in writing, that your request requires an additional five (5) working days to respond for any of the following reasons:
  • The requested records are stored in another location.
  • The request requires the collection of a large number of records.
  • The request is categorical in nature and requires an extensive search.
  • The Village has failed to locate the requested records in the initial search and the search is continuing.
  • The requested records require examination by a competent person in order to determine which, if any, are exempt from disclosure under the Act or should be revealed only with appropriate deletions.
  • It would unduly burden or interfere with the operations of the Village to fill the request within the initial 7 working days.
  • There is a need for consultation with another public body which has a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request.
Denial:  Any denials will be made in writing and will cite a specific legal reason under the FOIA to justify the non-disclosure and will include information regarding your right to appeal. If your FOIA request is denied you have the right to seek review by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) in the Attorney General’s office as well as the right to seek judicial review by filing a court case. You will have 60 calendar days from the date of the denial to submit a Request for Review to the PAC. Requests may be denied for the following reasons:
  1. Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations adopted under federal or State law.
  2. Information that, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the individual subjects of the information. The disclosure of information that bears on the public duties of public employees and officials shall not be considered an invasion of personal privacy. Information not required to be disclosed includes:
    • Files and personnel information maintained with respect to clients, patients, residents, students or other individuals receiving social, medical, educational, vocational, financial, supervisory or custodial care or services directly or indirectly from federal agencies or public bodies;
    • Personnel files and personal information maintained with respect to employees, appointees or elected officials of the Village;
    • Files and personal information maintained with respect to any applicant, registrant or licensee by the Village cooperating or engaged in professional or occupational registration, licensure or discipline;
    • Information required of any taxpayer in connection with the assessment or collection of any tax unless disclosure is required by State statute; and
    • Information revealing the identity of persons who file complaints with or provide information to administrative, investigative, law enforcement or penal agencies; except, in some cases, the identity of witnesses to traffic accidents, traffic accident reports and rescue reports may be disclosed.
  3. Records compiled by the Village for administrative enforcement proceedings and any law enforcement or correctional agency for law enforcement purposes or for internal matters of the Village, when disclosure would:
    • Interfere with pending or actually and reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings conducted by the Village, any law enforcement or correctional agency;
    • Interfere with pending administrative enforcement proceedings conducted by the Village or any public body;
    • Deprive a person of a fair trial or an impartial hearing;
    • Unavoidably disclose the identity of a confidential source or confidential information furnished only by the confidential source;
    • Disclose unique or specialized investigative techniques other than those generally used and known, or disclose internal documents of correctional agencies related to detection, observation or investigation of crime or misconduct;
    • Constitute an invasion of personal privacy; endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel or any other person; or obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation.
  4. Criminal history record information maintained by State or local criminal justice agencies, except the following which shall be disclosed:
    • Chronologically maintained arrest information, such as traditional arrest logs or blotters;
    • The name of a person in the custody of a law enforcement agency and the charges for which that person is being held;
    • Court records that are public;
    • Records that are otherwise available under State or local law; or
    • Records in which the requesting party is the individual identified, except when disclosure would endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel or any other person.
  5. Records that relate to or affect the security of correctional and detention facilities.
  6. Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated. A specific record or relevant portion of a record shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and identified by the Village President/Mayor. This exemption extends to all records of officers and agencies of the General Assembly that pertain to the preparation of legislative documents.
  7. Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person or business where the trade secrets or information are proprietary, privileged or confidential, or where disclosure of the trade secrets or information may cause competitive harm.
  8. Proposals and bids for any contract, grant or agreement, which if disclosed would frustrate procurement or give an advantage to any person proposing to enter into a contractor agreement with the Village, until an award or final selection is made. Information prepared by or for the Village in preparation of a bid solicitation shall be exempt until an award or final selection is made.
  9. Valuable formulae, designs, drawings and research data, when disclosure could reasonably be expected to produce private gain or public loss.
  10. Test questions, scoring keys or other examination data used to administer an academic examination or to determine the qualifications of an applicant for a license or employment.
  11. Architects' plans and engineers' technical submissions for projects not constructed or developed with public funds, and for projects constructed or developed with public funds, to the extent that disclosure would compromise security.
  12. Library circulation and order records identifying library users with specific materials.
  13. Minutes of meetings of public bodies closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act.
  14. Communications between the Village and an attorney or auditor representing the Village that would not be subject to discovery in litigation, and materials prepared or compiled by or for the Village in anticipation of a criminal, civil or administrative proceeding on the request of an attorney advising the Village, and materials prepared or compiled with respect to internal audits.
  15. Information received by a primary or secondary school, college or university under its procedures for the evaluation of faculty members by their academic peers.
  16. Administrative or technical information associated with automated data processing operations that, if disclosed, would jeopardize the security of the system or its data.
  17. Information or materials relating to collective negotiations between the Village and its employees or representatives, except final contracts or agreements.
  18. Records pertaining to the financing and marketing transactions of the Village, and the records of ownership, registration, transfer and exchange of municipal debt obligations.
  19. The records, documents and information relating to real estate purchase negotiations until the negotiations are complete or otherwise terminated. Records, documents and information relating to a parcel involved in a pending, or actually and reasonably contemplated eminent domain proceeding, shall be exempt except as allowed under litigation discovery rules. The records, documents and information relating to a real estate sale are exempt until the sale is consummated.
  20. Proprietary information related to the operation of an intergovernmental risk management association or self-insurance pool or jointly self-administered health and accident cooperative or pool.
  21. Information concerning a university's adjudication of grievance or disciplinary cases, when disclosure would reveal the identity of the student or employee, and information concerning any public body's adjudication of student or employee grievance or disciplinary cases, except for the final outcome of the cases.
  22. Course materials or research materials used by faculty members.
  23. Information related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of the Village.
  24. Information contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of the Village responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions or insurance companies, unless disclosure is otherwise required by State law.
  25. Information, the disclosure of which is restricted under the Public Utilities Act.
  26. Manuals or instruction to staff that relate to establishment or collection of liability for any State tax.
  27. Certain records received or prepared by the Experimental Organ Transplantation Procedures Board or its staff.
  28. Insurance or self-insurance (including any intergovernmental risk management association or self-insurance pool) claims, loss or risk management information.
  29. Information held by the Department of Public Health and its authorized representatives relating to known or suspected cases of sexually transmissible disease.
  30. Information, the disclosure of which is exempted under the Radon Mitigation Act.
  31. Firm performance evaluations under the Architectural, Engineering, and Land Surveying Qualifications Based Selection Act.
What Does "Unduly Burdensome" Mean?
An exemption exists for requests that are unduly burdensome. A request may be considered unduly burdensome if there is no way to narrow the request, and the burden on the public body to produce the information outweighs the public interest in the information. However, before relying on this exemption, the public body must first give the requestor an opportunity to reduce the request to a manageable size. If it is still unduly burdensome, the public body must explain in writing why the request is unduly burdensome and the extent to which compliance will burden the operations of the public body. Such a response is considered a denial.
What Is A "Clearly Unwarranted Invasion Of Personal Privacy?"
FOIA contains an exemption for records that, if disclosed, would result in a “clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” An “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy” means the “disclosure of information that is highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person and in which the subject’s right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information.” Under FOIA, disclosing information related to the duties of public employees is not considered an invasion of personal privacy.
Can the Village black out information from the documents I request?
Yes, if a record contains information that is exempt from disclosure under FOIA, a public body can remove or black out that exempt information from the public records. This is called “redaction.” But the public body must produce the remaining information.
Is my request a commercial FOIA request?
A commercial FOIA request is when the requestor seeks to use part or all of the public records for sale, resale, solicitation, or advertisement for sales or services.

The FOIA Officer has 21 business days to respond to a request for information made for a commercial purpose. The public body will respond by:
  1. providing the requested records;
  2. advising when the requested documents will be available and how much they will cost;
  3. denying the request (if it falls under an exception);
  4. Or by advising the requestor that the request is unduly burdensome and extending an opportunity for the requestor to reduce the request to manageable proportions.
Please note it violates the Freedom of Information Act for a person to knowingly obtain a public record for a commercial purpose without disclosing that it is for a commercial purpose.
Will I be charged for a FOIA request?
The Freedom of Information Act permits the Village to charge reasonable fees to pay for copying costs or the use of copying equipment. The Village of Burr Ridge does not charge for black and white copies for the first 50 pages. The charge is $.15 per page thereafter.
Fees
  • $.15 per page
  • $.10 per certificate, if the copies are certified
  • Technical documents, such as codes, blueprints, zoning maps, etc., require special reproduction costs. Costs will vary. 
Fee Waiver
The Village may waive or reduce the fees if the disclosure is in the public interest. You might receive a waiver or reduction if:
  • You are requesting information on the health, safety, and welfare or the legal rights of the general public,
  • You plan to disseminate this information and will not receive a personal or commercial benefit from disclosing the documents.
To qualify for a fee waiver or reduction, you should explain what you plan to do with the information.