Local Public FOIA Log Request (Chicago Department of Public Health)

Thank you for your FOIA request to the City of Chicago Department of Public Health. Your FOIA request has been received and is being processed. Your reference number for tracking purposes is: Q075550-053024. Track and view responses at Public Records Center.

You have requested the following records: To whom it may concern,

My name is Raymond Fisman and I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Law (POL Article 6), as it pertains to local public agencies.

As a researcher affiliated with Boston University, I am conducting a study that requires insights into the processing and management of FOIA requests by local city, fire, and park departments. Specifically, I request the following information:
• The total number of FOIA requests received on a quarterly basis.
• A breakdown of these requests by status: approved, rejected, in-progress, or any other relevant status.
• If available, a log file or similar record detailing individual requests and their respective statuses for each quarter.

I require this data for academic research purposes, in association with Duke University and Boston University. The study aims to analyze the trends and efficiency in the processing of FOIA requests by major public institutions. For comprehensiveness, I request that this information be provided for as far back as records are available.

Please inform me of any potential charges before processing this request. If certain parts of this request are exempt from release, please provide the non-exempt portions.

I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your prompt response. According to the Freedom of Information Law, you have 28 business days to respond to this letter. If access to the records I requested is denied, please provide an explanation in writing citing the specific statutory exemption(s).

Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Raymond Fisman

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

The City of Chicago Department of Public Health responds to all public records requests in accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq. If further time is needed to assemble and copy all documents responsive to your FOIA request, we will contact you with a time estimate and a request to extend.

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Mr. Fisman,
I'd like to see if I can clarify exactly what it is you're looking for with this request, because as I am interpreting it currently I would deny your request for being unduly burdensome on account of being categorical - i.e. requesting individual FOIA logs for as far back as records exist. However, we may be able to provide some of what you're looking for in terms of aggregate numbers of requests and requests status. We may have difficulty sorting records into quarterly buckets, as we don't typically track things on a quarterly basis at CDPH (we are a governmental institution and as such do not pay taxes). Happy to work with you to narrow or clarify this request. Feel free to call me if desired at 312-718-1410.
Thanks,
Jacob Martin
Chicago Department of Public Health

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Raymond Fisman MuckRock News, DEPT MR164288 263 Huntington Ave Boston, MA 02115 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of May 30, 2024, Reference # Q075550-053024. Dear Raymond Fisman, On behalf of the Department of Public Health, I am responding to your Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") request which was dated May 30, 2024 and received in our office on the same day. At this time, the Department of Public Health is seeking an extension of five additional working days to respond to the requests for one or more of the following reasons identified in 5 ILCS 140/3(e) of FOIA: (  ) the requested records are stored in whole or in part at other locations than the office having charge of the requested records; (  ) the request requires the collection of a substantial number of specified records; (X) the request is couched in categorical terms and requires an extensive search for the records responsive to it; (  ) the requested records have not been located in the course of routine search and additional efforts are being made to locate them; (  ) the requested records require examination and evaluation by personnel having the necessary competence and discretion to determine if they are exempt from disclosure under Section 7 of the FOIA or should be revealed only with appropriate deletions; (  ) the request for records cannot be complied with by the public body within the time limits prescribed by 5 ILCS 140/3(d) without unduly burdening or interfering with the operations of the public body; (  ) there is need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another public body or among two or more components of a public body having a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request. Sincerely, Jacob Martin

Department of Public Health

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Mr. Fisman,
After some searching and asking around, I think I have a solution. In the terms you're searching for, I can give you a log of all our FOIA requests dating back to when CDPH started using the GovQA platform to track them, which dates back around 3 years to mid-2021. These logs will give you open and close dates for each request as well as request status. For requests dating back before that time, I have records of open and close dates but I do not have an updated log of status for each request. I'm happy to provide the log from 2021-present if that will be sufficient. Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Jacob Martin
Chicago Department of Public Health

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RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of May 30, 2024, Reference # Q075550-053024.
Dear Raymond Fisman,
This correspondence is in response to the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") request received by the City of Chicago Department of Public Health on May 30, 2024. You requested: "To whom it may concern,

My name is Raymond Fisman and I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Law (POL Article 6), as it pertains to local public agencies.

As a researcher affiliated with Boston University, I am conducting a study that requires insights into the processing and management of FOIA requests by local city, fire, and park departments. Specifically, I request the following information:
• The total number of FOIA requests received on a quarterly basis.
• A breakdown of these requests by status: approved, rejected, in-progress, or any other relevant status.
• If available, a log file or similar record detailing individual requests and their respective statuses for each quarter.

I require this data for academic research purposes, in association with Duke University and Boston University. The study aims to analyze the trends and efficiency in the processing of FOIA requests by major public institutions. For comprehensiveness, I request that this information be provided for as far back as records are available.

Please inform me of any potential charges before processing this request. If certain parts of this request are exempt from release, please provide the non-exempt portions.

I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your prompt response. According to the Freedom of Information Law, you have 28 business days to respond to this letter. If access to the records I requested is denied, please provide an explanation in writing citing the specific statutory exemption(s).

Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Raymond Fisman

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
The Department of Public Health has reviewed its files and has located responsive records to your request. Please log in to the Public Records Center at the following link to retrieve the responsive documents. Department of Public Health - Q075550-053024

You have the right to have a denial reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701, (877) 299-3642. You may also seek judicial review of a denial under 5 ILCS 140/11 of FOIA.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact my office at .
Sincerely,
Jacob Martin

Department of Public Health

Attachments:
CPDH_Requests_GovQA.xls (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.VEsWrlMiJDg0mXafq1mEXWZpsEu-2B8hVh3NKTJpMhsPdGDtJ9mz13PZjRkfo5a9JaQyeGneqeUsNdLJCS-2BieeoABulj5MDReactXCwlrw37WyR5SOCMCFp3cdQCm65xZ0xqOa1sxXGyC-2FjvjkwNa3OLyeEgOKJmrAw-2BceY6ljdhCOsMNX-2Fh5sgFr5b1koalg2gHVTQ3a1GcmtijGvn7zz3A-3D-3DMHu8_OUhuH0W7ciy5QdIeir5FCaf40HtzQKzIr5KR7P-2FHlSsJdp2ClM8uW1kP-2FgYJNNse6Vohx7JWUImGcekqDos01oDyQCzB-2BrQHn-2FOx3KQKUwvasAe-2BruI7EZOWwGELj-2FBlyheDtSGPdg9S-2FJk1jY5siugWRbBT8vNZxuvSJi-2BSiIguxx5dXYSdixNT-2BFu9Sc5cBm8Vxhy2Wkd-2Fx9gsxcwUshzbWW9pg38WqK5pd4Mp7-2FqU82QB3dO3EkiNAn93CSwutsPAnSdEgSf3rn09402IKSb1JJeXBLxYKIdUfzy2x3rzs-2BurWgIrNc1edkmO-2FgJV7BjTSTwuYwJPBt-2F5HbJZcMaCxA4ifGYwVDVIckGo8q-2FQgIFqvgpfPYyOXlCyqSKtGaAl7aYJYYBFmzvyxA-2FKiw-3D-3D)

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RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of May 30, 2024, Reference # Q075550-053024.
Dear Raymond Fisman,
This correspondence is in response to the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") request received by the City of Chicago Department of Public Health on May 30, 2024. You requested: "To whom it may concern,

My name is Raymond Fisman and I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Law (POL Article 6), as it pertains to local public agencies.

As a researcher affiliated with Boston University, I am conducting a study that requires insights into the processing and management of FOIA requests by local city, fire, and park departments. Specifically, I request the following information:
• The total number of FOIA requests received on a quarterly basis.
• A breakdown of these requests by status: approved, rejected, in-progress, or any other relevant status.
• If available, a log file or similar record detailing individual requests and their respective statuses for each quarter.

I require this data for academic research purposes, in association with Duke University and Boston University. The study aims to analyze the trends and efficiency in the processing of FOIA requests by major public institutions. For comprehensiveness, I request that this information be provided for as far back as records are available.

Please inform me of any potential charges before processing this request. If certain parts of this request are exempt from release, please provide the non-exempt portions.

I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your prompt response. According to the Freedom of Information Law, you have 28 business days to respond to this letter. If access to the records I requested is denied, please provide an explanation in writing citing the specific statutory exemption(s).

Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Raymond Fisman

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
The Department of Public Health has reviewed its files and has located responsive records to your request. Please log in to the Public Records Center at the following link to retrieve the responsive documents. Department of Public Health - Q075550-053024

You have the right to have a denial reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701, (877) 299-3642. You may also seek judicial review of a denial under 5 ILCS 140/11 of FOIA.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact my office at 312-718-1410.
Sincerely,
Jacob Martin

Department of Public Health