Public Records Notice

Notice of Right to Inspect Public Records

By law, under the Inspection of Public Records Act, NMSA 1978, Chapter 14 Article 2, every person has the right to inspect public records maintained by the Mid-Region Council of Governments (“MRCOG”). The Act also makes compliance with requests to inspect public records an integral part of the routine duties of the officers and employees of MRCOG. It is the responsibility of MRCOG to make public records available for inspection.

Requests to inspect public records should be submitted to the Records Custodian for MRCOG:     

Elizabeth Carter, Records Custodian
809 Copper Avenue NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: 505-247-1750
Fax: 505-247-1753
Email

A person wishing to inspect public records may submit a request to the records custodian orally or in writing. However, the procedures and penalties prescribed in the Act on apply to written requests. A written request must contain sufficient contact information for the person making the request, including name and either a mailing or email address and telephone number. The request must describe the records sought in sufficient detail to enable the records custodian to identify and locate the requested records.

MRCOG will provide a copy of the public record in an electronic format if the record is available in an electronic format and an electronic copy is specifically requested. However, MRCOG will provide the electronic record in the file format in which it exists at the time of the request.

MRCOG must permit inspection immediately or as soon as practicable, but no later than fifteen (15) calendar days after the records custodian receives the inspection request. If inspection is not permitted within three (3) business days, the person making the request will receive a written response explaining when the records will be available for inspection or when MRCOG will respond to the request. If any of the records sought are not available for public inspection, the person making the request is entitled to a written response from the records custodian explaining the reasons inspection has been denied. The written denial shall be delivered or mailed within fifteen (15) calendar days after the records custodian received the request for inspection.

If the person making the inspection request would like a copy of a public record, MRCOG may charge a reasonable fee for the copy. The fee shall not exceed $1.00/page for a page that measures eleven inches by seventeen inches or smaller. MRCOG may charge the actual costs associated with downloading electronic records to a disk or other storage device as well as for the actual costs associated with transmitting copies by mail, facsimile or other method. The fee for a CD or DVD shall be the actual cost of the CD or DVD. MRCOG may request that all applicable fees be paid in advance before any copies are made. MRCOG will provide a receipt indicating that all fees have been paid for making copies of public records upon request to the person requesting copies of public records.