Public Records

Public Records Custodian

The City Clerk is the official custodian of the City's public records. The City Clerk is responsible for the legal retention of city records, preservation of archival documents, and the management of public record requests.

Public Records Requests

City records include all writings made, maintained, or kept by the City, regardless of physical form or characteristic. Public records are available for inspection by any person during regular business hours and will be made available within three working days or less upon receipt of a written Public Records Request (PDF). Extenuating circumstances may result in a seven-day extension to the three-day rule.

Most city records are public records. Colorado statutes define what specific records are not public and you will be informed if the information you request is not available to you for that reason.

Length of Time Records Are Retained

Even though most city records are public records, they are not all kept forever. The City Clerk's Office is responsible for the City's Records Management Program. All city records are evaluated based on the length of time they will have significant value to the City and to the public, and each type of record is assigned a retention period. The City follows the Colorado Municipal Records Retention Schedule. 

Accessing Public Records

Anyone interested in accessing public records must submit a public records request form. After completion of the form, you may fax, mail, or bring it into the City Clerk's Office. The more specific you can make your request, the better your chances will be of finding the information you want.  Asking for "everything you've got" about a particular subject can be costly to the requester, as there are research fees involved for records searches that take longer than one hour. Sometimes, there is no document that specifically addresses your request.

Website Record Searches

Many documents can be found on the City’s website. You can use the search feature at the top-right side of the page to search for particular documents. Some of these items include the City Code, City Charter, meeting agendas and minutes of City Council and Boards and Commissions. Ordinances, resolutions and proclamations can also be found on the City website, and the City Clerk‘s Office can supply this information as well.