NEW on 03/26/2021: Policy and Procedure on Requests for 9-1-1 Communications

Open Records Officer

The Fulton County Commissioners have designated the Chief Clerk as the County's Open Records Officer. The Open Records Officer may be contacted by email at openrecords@co.fulton.pa.us, by telephone at 717-485-3691, by fax at 717-485-9411, or by regular mail at 116 West Market Street, Suite 203, McConnellsburg, PA 17233

Requests for Copies of Records

Requests for copies of records must be in writing and should be made using one of the forms available on the Office of Open Records Website. This form may be printed and information written in, or requests may be typed into this form on the computer. After the form is filled in, the form may either be printed and sent to the county via regular mail or fax, or the completed form may be saved to the computer and then attached to an email that is sent to the County Open Records Officer.

Public bodies may fill anonymous verbal or written requests; however, if the requestor wishes to pursue the relief and remedies provided for in Act 3 of 2008, the request must be in writing. (Section 702.) Written requests need not include an explanation why information is sought or the intended use of the information unless otherwise required by law. (Section 703.)

Fees

The County's Records Request Fee Schedule and Policy sets forth the charges for both paper and electronic fulfillment of requests for copies of records. In summary, the Records Request Fee Schedule and Policy contains the following sections:

• Electronic Records and Imaging of Paper Records
• Charges for Reproduction of Records on Physical Media
• Summary of Special Records Available and Accompanying Forms
• Assessment Data
• Voter Registration/Election Reports
• Form To Request Voter Registration Records
• GIS Data Request Form
• GIS Data License Agreement

Please be sure to review the full Records Request Policy and Fee Schedule by clicking the above link prior to making a request for a copy of a record.

Turnaround of Requests for Copies of Records

The Open Records Officer shall review all written requests for access to public records. Within five business days after receiving a written request to view public records in person or to obtain a copy of a public record, the Open Records Officer shall respond to the request in a manner consistent with Act 3 of 2008, the Pennsylvania Open Records Law. Please view the State Open Records web page to learn about your rights under the State Open Records law.

Viewing Records in Person

Many records, such as deed books, are freely accessible by the public either in County offices or online. However, some older or more sensitive public records are kept in storage that is not accessible to the public. If you would like to view a public record that is not openly available to the public, please contact the Open Records Officer to schedule an appointment during regular business hours. When cooperating with members of the public who request to review/duplicate records in person, County employees will take reasonable measures to protect County documents from disclosure of non-public information and from the possibility of theft and/or modification.

Appeals Process

If a records request is denied or deemed denied, the Requester may file an appeal with the Office of Open Records, 400 North Street, 4th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120 within 15 days of the response date. Website: openrecords.state.pa.us