How to File a Public Records Request in Auburn, Georgia

What Is the Georgia Open Records Act?

The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. §§ 50-18-70 through 50-18-78) is Georgia's foundational open-government law, guaranteeing any person — resident or non-resident — the right to inspect and copy records held by public agencies across the state. The Georgia General Assembly has declared that the Act shall be broadly construed to allow the inspection of governmental records, and that the strong public policy of the state favors open government. As a municipal corporation, the City of Auburn is fully subject to the Act.

Public records covered by the Act include any document, paper, letter, map, book, tape, photograph, computer-based or generated information, or similar material prepared, maintained, or received in the course of operating a public office. For Auburn, this encompasses City Council meeting minutes, ordinances, contracts with vendors, building permits, zoning applications, code enforcement records, police incident and arrest reports, budget documents, and official email communications.

Exemptions exist under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 but must be interpreted narrowly, in favor of disclosure. Common exempt categories include active law enforcement investigation files (though initial arrest reports and incident reports remain accessible), personnel records containing private personal data such as home addresses and financial information, attorney-client privileged communications, medical records, and records federally required to be kept confidential. When the City withholds any record, it must cite the exact statutory exemption — by code section, subsection, and paragraph — under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d). Failure to do so may constitute a waiver. No requester is required to state a purpose for their request.

Read the full text of the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. §§ 50-18-70 through 50-18-78)

How to File a Public Records Request with the City of Auburn

How to Submit Your Request

The City of Auburn handles most open records requests through the City Clerk's Office. The City has an Open Records Request Form (2024) available on the City Clerk's webpage at cityofauburn-ga.org/CityClerk.aspx. While state law does not require you to use this form, submitting the City's standard form ensures your request includes all information the City needs to process it promptly. For general city records, submit your completed form — or a written request citing O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq. — by email to bhaney@cityofauburn-ga.org, by mail to 1 Auburn Way, Auburn, GA 30011, or in person at City Hall during normal business hours. For Auburn Police Department records (incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records), a separate form is available on the City Clerk page and should be submitted directly to the Auburn Police Department at 1361 4th Avenue, Auburn, GA 30011, or by calling (770) 513-8657, ext. 219. Written requests are strongly recommended — only written requests are enforceable in superior court under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73.

Download Required Form

What to Include in Your Request

• Your full name and preferred contact information (email address, mailing address, or phone number)
• A clear, specific description of the records you are seeking, including document types and subject matter
• The relevant date range or time period for the records, if applicable
• The city department or office you believe holds the records (e.g., City Clerk, Police Department, Community Development)
• Your preferred format for receiving records (electronic PDF or paper copies)
• A fee threshold above which you want advance notification before the City proceeds (e.g., 'Please notify me if costs will exceed $25')
• A citation to the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq., to formally establish the legal basis for your request

Response Deadlines and What to Expect

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b)(1)(A), the City of Auburn must respond to a written open records request within three business days of receipt. Georgia does not distinguish between in-state residents and out-of-state requesters — the three-business-day deadline applies equally to everyone, and no purpose for the request need be stated. The clock begins running from the time the City Clerk's Office (or the appropriate department custodian) receives your written request.

A response within three business days does not necessarily mean full production of all records in that window. If responsive records exist but cannot be produced immediately, the City must — within three business days — provide you with a written description of the responsive records and a good-faith timeline for when they will be available, pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b)(1)(B). Production must then occur as soon as reasonably practicable.

If any records are withheld, the City must identify each withheld document and cite the exact code section, subsection, and paragraph of the statutory exemption under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d). Failure to provide a specific citation may constitute a waiver of the claimed exemption.

Fees for search, retrieval, redaction, and copying are governed by O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(c). Search and retrieval time is billed at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee qualified to perform the work, with no charge for the first 15 minutes of staff time. Paper copies are capped at $0.10 per page for letter- and legal-size documents. For electronic records, the City may charge the actual cost of the digital media. If estimated total costs exceed $500, the City may require prepayment before beginning the search.

What to Do If Your Request Is Denied or Delayed

A denial or non-response from the City of Auburn is not the final word. The Georgia Open Records Act gives requesters meaningful, enforceable tools to push back — and Georgia courts have consistently upheld the Act's strong presumption in favor of openness.

If the City fails to respond within three business days, that silence is a potential violation of O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b)(1)(A). If records are withheld without a specific statutory citation identifying the exact code section, subsection, and paragraph of the claimed exemption, that failure may constitute a waiver of the exemption under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d). A vague denial — such as 'this record is confidential' without a statutory reference — is legally insufficient.

Common reasons the City of Auburn might deny a request include: records from active criminal or employee misconduct investigations (though initial arrest reports and incident reports are never exempt, even during an active investigation); personnel records containing home addresses or financial information of public employees; attorney-client privileged communications between the City Attorney and city officials; records required by federal law to be kept confidential; and documents related to pending real estate acquisitions.

If you believe a denial is improper, your first step is to follow up directly with City Clerk Brooke Haney at bhaney@cityofauburn-ga.org or (404) 678-3913, asking for the specific statutory basis for the denial. If that does not resolve the issue, the Georgia Attorney General's Office at law.georgia.gov provides guidance on open records compliance and may initiate independent enforcement actions.

As a final escalation, you may file a civil action in the Superior Court of Barrow County under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(a) to compel production of the withheld records. If the court finds that the City acted without substantial justification in withholding records, it must — absent special circumstances — award you reasonable attorney's fees and litigation costs under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(b). This fee-shifting provision is a meaningful deterrent against improper denials.

Steps to Appeal

1. Review the denial letter to confirm the City cited a specific statutory exemption by exact O.C.G.A. code section, subsection, and paragraph, as required by O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d); if no specific citation was provided, note this deficiency in writing — it may constitute a waiver of the claimed exemption.
2. Contact City Clerk Brooke Haney directly at bhaney@cityofauburn-ga.org or (404) 678-3913 to request clarification of the denial, and ask whether any non-exempt portions of the records can be segregated and produced, as partial production is required when exempt material can be separated from disclosable content.
3. Send a formal written follow-up to the City Clerk citing the three-business-day response deadline under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b)(1)(A), documenting the date your original request was received and the basis for your disagreement with the denial.
4. Contact the Georgia Attorney General's Office at law.georgia.gov for guidance on open records compliance; the AG may initiate independent enforcement actions under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(a) and may provide informal mediation assistance.
5. Consult the Georgia First Amendment Foundation (gfaf.org) for no-cost guidance on open records disputes in Georgia; the Foundation can advise on the strength of your claim and recommend next steps.
6. File a civil action in the Superior Court of Barrow County under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(a) to compel production of the withheld records; this is the primary judicial enforcement mechanism available under the Act.
7. If the court finds the City acted without substantial justification, request an award of reasonable attorney's fees and litigation costs under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-73(b); the court must award fees absent special circumstances.

Types of Records You Can Request from Auburn, Georgia

The City of Auburn generates and maintains a broad range of records that are presumptively open under the Georgia Open Records Act. Below are common record types residents, journalists, business owners, and researchers regularly request from the City.

• City Council meeting minutes, agendas, and supporting materials
• City ordinances, resolutions, and amendments to the City Code
• City contracts, vendor agreements, and procurement records
• Building permits, zoning applications, and land use approval records
• Code enforcement inspection records, complaints, and violation notices
• Auburn Police Department incident reports and initial arrest reports
• Traffic accident and crash reports
• City budget documents, annual appropriations, and financial audits
• City employee salary data and payroll records
• Business license applications and approvals
• Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals agendas, minutes, and decisions
• Downtown Development Authority meeting records and project files
• Public works project contracts, engineering reports, and road maintenance records
• Stormwater management records and utility agreements
• Settlement agreements and litigation records involving the City of Auburn

If you're unsure whether a specific document is a public record, file the request anyway. The burden is on the City of Auburn to justify withholding — not on you to pre-determine what's available.

Tips for Effective Public Records Requests in Auburn