Public Records—Freedom of Access

The Town of Westport Island understands that the public’s right to information about government activities is at the heart of democratic government. As such, the Town is committed to providing the public with access to information and records about its business as outlined in the Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA). The Act grants Maine people with a broad right of access to public records while protecting legitimate governmental interests and the privacy rights of individual citizens. The Act also ensures government accountability to Maine citizens by requiring public access to the meetings of public bodies. Transparency and open decision-making are fundamental principles of the Maine Freedom of Access Act and to the Town's operations.

                                                 Westport Island's Public Access Officer

                                                                Town Clerk April Thibodeau

                               Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address); or Call: (207) 88208477 ext. 3

How do I make a Freedom of Access request?

To request access to Town records, there are no required forms that must be completed; however, for your convenience we have created a Request Form that makes it easier to provide the required information. The request may be made either verbally or in writing. If you have questions about records access, or are seeking a large number of documents, contact the Town Clerk for guidance.

Your request will be acknowledged within 5 days of receiving the request with an estimate of when the requested records can be compiled and provided or made available for inspection.

Fees, if any

There is no initial fee for submitting a request, and the Town cannot charge an individual to inspect records unless the public record cannot be inspected without being compiled or converted. However, the Town can charge a reasonable fee for copying records. It may also charge fees for the time spent searching for, retrieving, compiling, or redacting confidential information from the requested records.

Maine’s law authorizes the Town to charge $25 per hour after the first two hours of staff time per request. Where conversion of a record is necessary, the agency or official may also charge a fee to cover the actual cost of conversion. The Town must prepare an estimate of the time and cost required to complete a request; and if the estimate is greater than $30, it must notify the requester before proceeding. Advance payment may be requested if the estimated cost exceeds $100 or if the requester has previously failed to pay a fee.

Additional Information

Click here for answers to frequently asked questions on Maine's Freedom of Access Act.