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Overview

The City of Pickens is committed to transparency and open government in accordance with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), S.C. Code Ann. Title 30, Chapter 4.

FOIA provides public access to government records, subject to certain exemptions and limitations under state and federal law.

Requests for public records must be submitted in writing.

You may submit a written FOIA request using the Online Form
 below.

Under S.C. FOIA:

  • Initial written determination:
10 business days
(20 business days if records are more than 24 months old)
  • Production of non-exempt records after determination or deposit:
Typically within 30 calendar days
(35 calendar days if records are more than 24 months old)

The City charges fees to recover the actual cost of searching for, retrieving, redacting, and copying public records. Fees are not used to generate revenue.

Search, Retrieval & Redaction

Employee Classification Hourly Rate Description
Clerical / Administrative Staff $18.00 per hour Locating, retrieving, scanning, organizing
Technical / IT Staff $150.00 per hour Electronic data retrieval, exports
Supervisory / Professional Staff $48.00 per hour Complex file searches, coordination

The lowest-paid qualified employee capable of performing the task will be assigned when practicable.

The City does not charge for time spent determining whether records are exempt or for legal review.

Copying & Media Costs

Format Cost
Black & White Copies (8.5×11 or 8.5×14) $0.20 per page
Color Copies $0.25 per page
Large Format Plans / Maps Actual Cost
CD / DVD / USB Actual Cost
Electronic Delivery No charge when feasible

Deposits & Payment

  • A deposit of up to 25% of the estimated total cost may be required before work begins.
  • Payment in full is required before release of records when costs exceed the deposit.
  • Accepted payment methods: cash, check, or other approved methods.

Fees may be reduced or waived when disclosure primarily benefits the general public and is not for commercial solicitation or private financial gain.

Waiver requests must be submitted in writing and are evaluated case-by-case.

FOIA provides broad access to public records; however, certain records may be withheld (in whole or part) under statutory exemptions, privacy protections, privileges, and other state or federal laws.

Examples may include:

  • Trade secrets and proprietary business information
  • Personal information where disclosure would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy
  • Records exempted by other state or federal statutes
  • Attorney-client privileged communications and attorney work product
  • Law enforcement investigative and security-sensitive records
  • Certain employment-related materials
  • Security or infrastructure protection information

If a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, exempt portions may be redacted and the remainder released as required by law.

  • The City is not required to create new records or compile information.
  • Requests may be narrowed to reduce cost and processing time.
  • Exempt information may be redacted as permitted by law.

For the full statutory language, see:
S.C. Code Ann. Title 30, Chapter 4
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t30c004.php

Tim O’Briant/ FOIA Officer
City of Pickens
219 Pendleton Street
Pickens, SC 29671
Phone: (864) 898-1160
Email: tobriant@pickenscity.com

Submit a FOIA Request

This form is for requesting existing public records. The City is not required to create new records, compile information, answer questions, or conduct legal research in response to a request.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Requester Information

Name(Required)
Email(Required)
Mailing Address

Records Requested

MM slash DD slash YYYY
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Department / Office likely to hold records
Preferred delivery method(Required)
Preferred format(Required)

Records will be provided in a convenient/practical form when equally convenient for the City.

Fees, Deposits, and Processing

Under South Carolina law, the City may charge fees not to exceed the actual cost of search, retrieval, redaction, and copies. A deposit up to 25% of the reasonably anticipated cost may be required before work begins. The City may not charge for time spent deciding whether records are exempt. The City will provide a cost estimate when applicable.
If costs exceed your cap, the City can contact you to narrow scope.
Fee waiver requested?(Required)

Acknowledgments (required)

Question 1(Required)
Question 2(Required)
Untitled(Required)
Untitled(Required)
Untitled(Required)

FOIA Exemptions, Redactions & Processing Information

Common Exemptions and Limitations (Plain-Language Overview)

The South Carolina FOIA provides broad access to public records; however, certain records may be withheld (in whole or part) under statutory exemptions, privacy protections, privileges, and other applicable state or federal laws.

This list is a summary and is not exhaustive.

Examples of records that may be exempt from disclosure include:

  • Trade secrets, proprietary commercial information, and certain confidential business information submitted to the City.
  • Information of a personal nature where disclosure would constitute an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy.
  • Matters specifically exempted from disclosure by other state or federal statutes or rules.
  • Attorney-client privileged communications and attorney work product for the City.
  • Law enforcement and security-related records where disclosure would harm an investigation, reveal investigative techniques, endanger individuals, or compromise security measures (as applicable under law).
  • Employment-related materials gathered during recruiting and hiring processes, except as required by law for certain finalists and related materials.
  • Security, safeguard, and sensitive infrastructure protection information where disclosure could create risk.

Redaction

If a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, the City will typically redact the exempt portions and release the remainder when required by law.

Processing Timelines (General)

  • Initial written determination: 10 business days (or 20 business days if records are more than 24 months old).
  • Production of non-exempt records after determination (or deposit): Typically within 30 calendar days (or 35 calendar days if records are more than 24 months old).

For the official statute text, see S.C. Code Ann. Title 30, Chapter 4 (including §30-4-30 and §30-4-40) .

Helpful Tips to Speed Up Your Request

  • Include a narrow date range and specific subject matter.
  • Name the department and provide keywords, addresses, project names, or known document titles.
  • If you only need certain fields (for example, “final executed contract” only), please specify.

Disclaimer: This page provides general information about requesting public records and is not legal advice. The City will apply applicable exemptions and other state and federal confidentiality requirements as appropriate.

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