Routine Access Policy — full text

This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source document governs. Snapshot 848b25b6d48b · verified 2026-06-05 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

## 1.0 Purpose The purpose of this policy is to clarify which records of the Municipality are available routinely upon request and which requests for records require review by the Responsible Officer under Chapter 5, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy, of the Municipal Government Act. ## 2.0 Scope - 2.1 This Policy will improve public access to records of the Town which are not released through active publication, without having to submit a request under Chapter 5 of the Municipal Government Act. - 2.2 This Policy will provide greater certainty to staff and the public as to which records can be routinely accessed by the public, and which records can be accessed only by application to the Responsible Officer under Chapter 5 of the Municipal Government Act. ## 3.0 Definitions - 3.1 "Council" means the Town Council of the Town of Mahone Bay - 3.2 "Town" means the Town of Mahone Bay - 3.3 "Town Clerk" means the Deputy Clerk for the Town of Mahone Bay ## 4.0 Policy - 4.1 Applications for routine release of information may be made in person, or in writing, to the staff person having custody of the record. - 4.2 Any applications for records exceeding one copy of a single record must be made in writing to the Town Clerk and such applicants may be expected to pay for the staff time and costs required to process the application - 4.3 A charge may apply for the reproduction of a map. ## Town of Mahone Bay ## Policy # 22 Routine Access Policy - 4.4 Staff having custody of the requested record will release one copy, at no charge (unless otherwise noted), of any of the following records within two business days of a request - a. All policies and bylaws approved by Council. - b. Any document received by Council or any Committee of Council at a meeting which is not a "closed session" under Sections 22 or 203 of the Municipal Government Act. For greater certainty, this includes all financial statements and reports, as well as all Council approved and/or received studies and reports. - c. All approved minutes of any meeting of Council or any Committee of Council which are not associated with a "closed session" under Sections 22 or 203 of the Municipal Government Act. For greater clarity, draft minutes that have not yet been approved by Council or any Committee of Council are not considered to be routine access. - d. All agendas of any meeting of Council or any Committee of Council which is not "closed session" under Sections 22 or 203 of the Municipal Government Act. - e. Any permit or approval issued by any employee of the Town except that the mailing address of the permit holder shall be excised. This specifically does not include the application for such permit or approval, nor any document which is not directly referenced by the permit or approval. Copies of any document directly referenced by the permit or approval will not be routinely copied, however can be reviewed at the Town upon request. - f. Any finished map created and published by the Town. This specifically does not include i) raw data such as shape files or data tables required to produce the map; and ii) printed copies of map images or other information pages produced by Property Online. Raw data may be shared upon approval through the execution of a data sharing agreement. There may be a charge incurred by the applicant associated with the reproduction of any maps. - g. Any newsletter, advertisement or other document publicly distributed by the Town. - h. Any document published by the Town on its website. - i. Civic address, Property Identification Number, Assessment Account Number, and assessed value of any property within the Town. This specifically does not include capped assessment figure or the owner's mailing address. - j. The amount of taxes or other debts owed to the Town. : - k. The expense claims of any employee or Council member of the Town, including all associated receipts and documentation. 2. 4.5 Staff having custody of a requested record which is not clearly listed or defined in Section 4.5 of the Policy shall not release the requested record and shall refer the matter to the Responsible Officer under Chapter 5 of the Municipal Government Act.   ## Clerk's Annotation for Official Policy Book Date of Notice to Council Members of Intent to Consider {7 days minimum notice): March 13, 2018 Date of Passage of Policy: April 10, 2018 Clerk/CAO Aponl 11,2016 Date