Records Request Fees

Reasonable Fees
In some circumstances, the Town of Peru may assess a reasonable fee for the production of public records

Categories of Permissible Charges
Permissible charges include, but are not limited to    

• Five cents ($0.05) per page of black and white printouts or copies;​
• Actual cost for storage devices or materials such as CDs or thumb/flash drives;
• Actual cost for duplication of records not susceptible to ordinary means of reproduction, such as color copies and large format plans;
• Postage fees (where applicable; see "Request for Records to be Mailed" here); and
• Fees for employee time required to satisfy a public records request (see paragraph 26 below).

No copying fee will be charged for records provided in electronic form. 

Employee Time for Locating and Segregating Records
A fee may be charged for employee time necessary to identify, locate, and compile the records requested.  A fee may also be charged for employee time necessary to review, and, as applicable, segregate and/or redact information exempt from public disclosure.  The hourly rate for such fees shall be the hourly rate of the lowest paid employee capable of performing the task, provided, however, that this hourly rate shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per hour, unless the Town of Peru has obtained the approval of the State Supervisor of Public Records to charge a higher hourly rate.  Depending upon the nature of the request, different rates may be charged for different types of work (i.e., a different hourly rate for search time and a different hourly rate for segregation/redaction time).

In communities with more than 20,000 residents (as per the most recent Decennial US Census)
First Two Hours: There shall be no fee for the employee time required to satisfy a public records request for the first two (2) hours of work performed. 

[In communities with less than or equal to 20,000 residents (as per the most recent Decennial US Census)
Small Municipality Exception:  As of the 2010 Decennial Census, the Town of Peru had 823 residents. .  In accordance with 950 CMR 32.07(2)(m)(2), therefore, the Town of Peru may assess fees for all employee time, including the first two hours.  

Requests for Commercial Purposes
Said fee limitations may not apply when a request for records is for a commercial purpose as determined by the State’s Supervisor of Records.

Petition for Higher Fee
In certain circumstances, the Town of Peru may petition the State Supervisor of Public Records for permission to assess fees for employee time at a rate in excess of $25.00.