Colorado Open Records Request (CORA)
While the District actively promotes transparency between the District and the public, the District also recognizes the importance of promoting the efficient use of taxpayer resources (which is primarily tax revenue and fees) used to operate the District. Consequently, the District does not publicly post all records related to the day-to-day administrative and financial operations of the district. (Such activities are typically summarized and reported to the Board at regular board meetings.
The primary body of law addressing open record requests submitted by the public to government entities is contained in section CRS 24-72-200 etc.
REQUESTING PUBLIC RECORDS
The public may submit open record requests to the District for information and documents not otherwise posted on the District’s website. To submit a records request, the District’s CORA Request Form must be completed and submitted to the District Manager. General emails or phone calls to the District or its representatives or agents will not be treated as records requests under CORA.
CORA Request Form
LIMITATIONS ON CORA REQUESTS
The District will typically not provide the following documents (due to the sensitive nature of such information) if included in a CORA request:
- Bank account numbers
- Voter records (District typically enters into non-disclosure agreements with the County and/or State regarding voter records)
- Attorney detail billing statements related to litigation services
- Attorney-client protected communications
- “Work product” prepared for public officials (as defined in CRS 24-72-202(6.5) such as drafts of board meeting minutes, financial statement drafts, resolution drafts, and draft version of “final” reports included in board meeting packets
FEES AND COSTS
Because CORA requests impose a burden on the District’s resources and the District desires to minimize the financial burden placed on its taxpayers from potential voluminous CORA requests, the District Board has adopted a CORA-compliant policy for imposing fees for research and retrieval of District records as follows:
- First hour – no charge
- Second and subsequent hours – $33.58/hour (billed in 15-minute increments)
- $0.25 per copy
- Cost to mail and deliver documents at the request of the CORA requestor are passed on to the CORA requestor
Hourly research and retrieval fees may be adjusted for inflation pursuant to CRS 24-72-205(b). Other fees may be imposed at the discretion of the records custodian consistent with the provisions of CORA.