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1. How to Request Data?

You can request data by completing and submitting our Data Request Form online.

If you would prefer, a downloadable form can also be emailed to you or a paper copy of the form can be picked up at New Brighton City Hall or mailed to you.

If you choose not use to use the Data Request Form, your request should include:

• You are making a request for public data under the Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13).
• Whether you would like to inspect the data, have copies of the data, or both.
• A clear description of the data you would like to inspect or have copied.

You are not required to identify yourself or explain the reason for your data request. However, depending on how you want us to process your request (if, for example, you want us to mail you copies of data), we may need some information about you. If you choose not to give us any identifying information, you will need to contact us to check on the status of your request. In addition, please keep in mind that if we do not understand your request and have no way to contact you, we will not be able to begin processing your request.

2. What to Expect When You Request Data?

Upon receiving your request, we will work to process it.

• If it is not clear what data you are requesting, we will ask you for clarification.
• If we do not have the data you are requesting, we will notify you in writing within ten (10) business days.
• If we have the data, but the data are not public, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and state which specific law says the data are not public.
• If the data you are requesting is copyrighted, the City will permit you to view the data free of charge. However, under Title 17 of the United States Code regulating copyrights, the City may not provide you with a copy or reproduction of a copyrighted document.
• If we have the data, and the data are public, we will respond to your request appropriately and promptly, within a reasonable amount of time by doing one of the following:
  • Arranging a date, time, and place for you to inspect data free of charge, if your request is to look at the data, or
  • Providing you with copies of the data as soon as reasonably possible. You may choose to pick up your copies, or we will mail or fax them to you. We will provide electronic copies (such as email or CD-ROM) upon request if we keep the data in electronic format.

While viewing public data is free of charge, there is a cost to receive copies of public data. These fees are approved by the City Council annually as part of the City’s fee schedule. 

3. How Much Data Costs?

The City of New Brighton charges for copies of government data. These charges are authorized under Minnesota Statutes, section 13.03, subdivision 3(c) for 100 or fewer single sided pages of data. In the event that the fees listed in this policy differ from fees listed in the current fee schedule approved by the City Council, the fees listed in the current fee schedule shall prevail.

Current fees for copies (as of January 1, 2019)

• Single-sided, black and white 8 and a half inches by 11 inches (letter) or 8 and a half inches by 14 inches (legal) page: $0.25
• Double-sided, black and white 8 and a half inches by 11 inches (letter) or 8 and a half inches by 14 inches (legal) page: $0.50
• Single-sided, black and white 11 inches by 17 inches (tabloid) page: $0.50
• Double-sided, black and white 11 inches by 17 inches (tabloid) page: $1
• Single-sided, color 8 and a half inches by 11 inches (letter) or 8 and a half inches by 14 inches (legal) page: $0.50
• Double-sided, color 8 and a half inches by 11 inches (letter) or 8 and a half inches by 14 inches (legal) page: $1
• Single-sided, color 11 inches by 17 inches (tabloid) page: $1
• Double-sided, color 11 inches by 17 inches (tabloid) page: $2
• Single-sided, 24 inches by 36 inches (engineer) page or map $19

Requests for data stored electronically will only be released through email if the request is under 5MB in size. Additionally, only data classified as public data will be released electronically. Documents containing data classified as not public will be released only in a paper or other format that guarantees not public metadata is not available to the requestor.

Requests for copies that are estimated to exceed $50 must be prepaid.

Other Types of Data

• Cable TV program tapes: $20
• Apartment List: $16
• 35 mm or Polaroid Photos (plus actual developing costs): $25
• Digital Photos on CD: $5
• Digital Photos printed on plain paper: $5
• Summary Data: Actual Cost
• Most other types of copies: Actual cost

The charge for most other types of copies, when a charge is not set by statute or rule, is the actual cost of searching for and retrieving the data, and making the copies or electronically transmitting the data (e.g. sending the data by email). In determining the actual cost of making copies, we factor in employee time, the cost of the materials onto which we are copying the data (paper, CD, DVD, etc.), and mailing costs (if any). If your request is for copies of data that we cannot reproduce ourselves, such as photographs, we will charge you the actual cost we must pay an outside vendor for the copies.

If, because of the subject matter of your request, we find it necessary for a higher-paid employee to search for and retrieve the data, we will calculate the search and retrieval portion of the copy charge at the higher salary/wage.

4. Who to Contact With Questions About Data?

For questions about data contact Terri Spangrud or contact Sandra Daniloff.

Other staff members responsible for the maintenance and dissemination of City records are authorized data practices contacts as apparent or assigned.

5. How do I Request Private or Non-Public Data About Myself?

You can request data by completing and submitting our Data Request Form online. 

You have the right to look at (inspect), free of charge, public and private data that we keep about you.  You also have the right to get copies of public and private data about you. The Government Data Practices Act allows us to charge for copies. You have the right to look at data, free of charge, before deciding to request copies.  Also, if you ask, we will tell you whether we keep data about you and whether the data are public, private, or confidential. When requesting data classified as private data, you must show valid ID to verify that you are authorized to access the private or nonpublic data in the City’s possession.

As a parent, you have the right to look at and get copies of public and private data about your minor children (under the age of 18). As a legally appointed guardian, you have the right to look at and get copies of public and private data about an individual for whom you are appointed guardian.

Minors have the right to ask the City of New Brighton not to give data about them to their parent or guardian. If you are a minor, we will tell you that you have this right. We may ask you to put your request in writing and to include the reasons that we should deny your parents access to the data. We will make the final decision about your request based on your best interests. 

6. What Kind of Data We Might Have About You?

The Government Data Practices Act presumes that all government data are public unless a state or federal law says that the data are not public. Data about you are classified by state law as public, private, or confidential.

Public data

We must give public data to anyone who asks. It does not matter who is asking for the data or why the person wants the data. The following are examples of some of the public data the City of New Brighton may have about you:

• Your name and address on a business license application
• An email you sent a City staff member regarding a City business item
• Your application to serve on a City Commission
• Utility billing information

Private Data

We cannot give private data to the general public, but you can have access to private data when the data are about you. We can share your private data with you, with someone who has your permission, with our government entity staff who have a work assignment to see the data, and to others, as permitted by law or court order. The following are examples of private data the City of New Brighton may have about you:

• Your social security number on a business license application
• Your contact information when you sign up for electronic updates from the City
• Your contact and personal information when you sign up for City recreational programs

Confidential Data

Confidential data have the most protection. Neither the public nor you can get access even when the confidential data are about you. We can share confidential data about you with our government entity staff who have a work assignment to see the data, and to others, as permitted by law or court order. We cannot give you access to confidential data. The following is an example of confidential data about you:

• Any information about you that is currently part of an open police investigation
• Any identifying information in an email you sent a City staff member regarding a concern you have about someone's property
• Any identifying information about you when you report potential child or vulnerable adult abuse or neglect

7. When Do You Collect Private Data About Me?

The City of New Brighton collects and keeps only those data about you that we need for administering and managing programs and services that are permitted by law. There is a presumption that all data are public unless there is a law that makes it not public.

When we ask you to provide data about yourself that are not public, we must give you a notice. This privacy notice is sometimes called a Tennessen warning and it controls what we do with the data that we collect from you. Usually, we can use and release the data only in the ways described in the notice.

We will ask for your written permission if we need to use or release private data about you in a different way, or if you ask us to release the data to another person. This permission is called informed consent. If you want us to release private data to another person, you must use the consent form we provide or another form approved by the City's Responsible Authority.

8. What If I Do Not Understand the Data I Received?

If you do not understand some of the data (technical terminology, abbreviations, or acronyms), please let us know. We will give you an explanation if you ask.

9. Requesting Summary Data

Summary data are statistical records or reports that are prepared by removing all identifiers from private or confidential data on individuals. The preparation of summary data is not a means to gain access to private or confidential data. The City of New Brighton may agree to prepare summary data if there are sufficient staff resources to do so, if you make your request in writing and if you pre-pay for the cost of creating the data.

Upon receiving your written request, you may use our online Data Request Form, we will respond within ten (10) business days with the data or details of when the data will be ready and how much we will charge.

10. What Do You Do to Protect Our Data?

The Government Data Practices Act requires us to protect your data. We have established appropriate safeguards to ensure that your data are safe from internal or external security breaches.

In the unfortunate event that we determine a security breach has occurred and an unauthorized person has gained access to your data, we will notify you as required by law.