Following an influx of anonymous Right-to-Know requests across Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors has advised municipalities to review and update their Right-to-Know policies.
In light of this development, Richland recently updated its Right-to-Know policy.
The Right-to-Know law is the Pennsylvania law that guarantees a person’s right to access and obtain copies of specified public records held by government agencies.
“A lot of municipalities in Pennsylvania have been receiving anonymous Right-to-Know requests. (Assistant Manager) Natalie (Thiess) had suggested updating our Right-to-Know policy on addressing anonymous Right-to-Know requests, and she was absolutely right to do so. You, as a township, are allowed under the Right-to-Know law to essentially deny any anonymous requests. You don’t have to respond to an anonymous request, but that has to be in your policy and our existing policy doesn’t say anything about anonymous requests,” township Solicitor Emily Mueller said.
Richland’s Right-to-Know policy was last updated before Christine Castora was hired on as an administrative assistant for the township so the new policy reflects this change.
“There’s two updates. It’s updating the administrative assistant and George Anderson as backups if I, as the Right-to-Know officer, am not able to fulfill my duties. The second thing is just that we will not be accepting anonymous requests,” Thiess said.
Right-to-Know requests for the inspection, retrieval and duplication of public records can be made at the municipal building, 4019 Dickey Road, during normal business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, with the exception of township-designated holidays.