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The City Clerk is the designated custodian for all city records. All requests filed under the Missouri Sunshine Law should be submitted in writing to: Office of the City Clerk, 320 E. McCarty Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101; or by faxing: ATTN City Clerk, (573) 634-6329.
All City records, except those specifically excluded by Missouri law, are deemed "open records." However, not all records have to be requested by filing a Sunshine Law request. Such records would include, but are not limited to, current agendas, minutes of meetings, ordinances, or resolutions.
If historic copies of these documents are requested which would involve staff time to research and retrieve, it would be advisable to file a Sunshine Request so that the requestor can receive an estimate of the cost to produce the records. The City can request that payment be made in advance of producing the records.
Many current City Council agendas, minutes, and City Code are accessible on this website.
Q: Is there a charge for copies requested?
A: Yes. The city charges 10 cents per copy as allowed by state law.
Q: Can't I just send my request directly to the department that has the record I want?
A: If you do, response to your request will be delayed since all Sunshine Requests are forwarded to the City Clerk for proper action by all departments. The time frame for responding to the your request does not begin until the request has been received by the City Clerk's office.
Q: Does the City have to give me my records in three days according to the Sunshine Law?
A: No. The Sunshine Law states that the City must respond to your request within three days, not fulfill the request. State law allows government bodies to inform the requestor if they cannot meet the three-day time frame by giving the requestor its reason in writing for being unable to meet the three-day time frame, and give an estimated time when they will be able to produce the records.
Some records kept by the City are closed records under Missouri Law and not accessible to the public under the Sunshine Law. If the records are "closed" records, the City Clerk will notify the requestor of that fact within three days.
NOTE: If the only person able to produce the requested records is unavailable at the time of the request, the time frame for producing the record does not begin until that person returns.
Q: What if I need an "official" copy for some reason?
A: When you request your record, be sure to state you need either a certified copy, or an affidavit form completed which you can provide with your request. The City Clerk will certify the records at no additional charge.
Q: I forgot to ask for the records to be certified when I requested them. Can I just send them or bring them back to be certified?
A: No. Once the records have left the possession of the City Clerk, they cannot be certified as "official" records. You will need to resubmit your records request and the records produced again before they can be certified.
Q: Can I just print off part of the City Code from the city's website to use in my court case or for other official purposes?
A: No. The only "official" version of the City Code is maintained in the City Clerk's office. Certified copies for official purposes should be requested directly from the City Clerk.
The City of Jefferson complies with all state laws governing access to public records. If you have questions, call the City Clerk at (573) 634-6311.
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