Below is Intercity Transit's policy on public records requests. If you would like to make a request, please fill out the Request for Public Records form, and mail to:

  • Nancy Trail
    Intercity Transit
    P.O. Box 659
    Olympia, WA 98507-0659
    Phone: 360-705-5857

Public Records Request Policy

This policy applies to all persons requesting public records of Intercity Transit and to those personnel providing public record(s). 

  1. Intercity Transit Discloses Public Records
    Intercity Transit shall disclose public records in compliance with the Public Records Act of the State of Washington, Chap. 42.56 RCW. Intercity Transit adopts the model procedural rules, as follows, adopted by the State as its procedural rules for disclosing public records.   

Authority and Purpose.  WAC 44-14-010

  1. RCW 42.17.260(1)/42.56.070(1) requires Intercity Transit to make available for inspection and copying nonexempt “public records” in accordance with published rules. The act defines “public records” to include any “writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained” by Intercity Transit. RCW 42.17.260(2)/42.56.070(2) requires Intercity Transit to set forth “for informational purposes” every law, in addition to the Public Records Act, that exempts or prohibits the disclosure of public records held by Intercity Transit.
     
  2. The purpose of these rules is to establish the procedures Intercity Transit will follow in order to provide full access to public records. These rules provide information to persons wishing to request access to public records of Intercity Transit and establish processes for both requestors and Intercity Transit staff designated to best assist members of the public in obtaining such access.
     
  3. The purpose of the act is to provide the public full access to information concerning the conduct of government, mindful of individuals’ privacy rights and the desirability of the efficient administration of government. The act and these rules will be interpreted in favor of disclosure. In carrying out its responsibilities under the act, Intercity Transit will be guided by the provisions of the act describing its purposes and interpretation.

Agency Description —Contact Information —Public Records Officer.  WAC 44-14-020 

  1. Intercity Transit provides public transportation services to Public Transportation Benefit Area within Thurston County.  Intercity Transit’s central office is located at 526 Pattison SE, Olympia, WA  98501.  Intercity Transit has the Olympia Transit Center on State Avenue between Franklin and Washington Streets, and the Lacey Transit Center, downtown Lacey, just off Sleater-Kinney Road, at the corner of 6th Avenue and Golf Club Place. 
     
  2. Any person wishing to request access to public records of Intercity Transit, or seeking assistance in making such a request should contact:
    Nancy Trail
    PO Box 659
    526 Pattison SE
    Olympia, WA  98507-0659
    Phone: 360-705-5857
     
  3. Information is also available at the Intercity Transit website.
     
  4. The public records officer will oversee compliance with the act but another Intercity Transit staff member may process the request. Therefore, these rules will refer to the public records officer “or designee.” The public records officer or designee and Intercity Transit will provide the “fullest assistance” to requestors; ensure that public records are protected from damage or disorganization; and prevent fulfilling public records requests from causing excessive interference with essential functions of Intercity Transit.

 Availability of Public Records.  WAC 44-14-030

  1. Hours for inspection of records. Public records are available for inspection and copying during normal business hours of Intercity Transit, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding legal holidays. Records must be inspected at the offices of Intercity Transit. Please note: The Administrative facilities located at 526 Pattison St., Olympia, WA remain closed. Please contact Nancy Trail at 360-705-5857 or ntrail@intercitytransit.com to make an appointment for review of records pursuant to any public records request. Records will be available by appointment at the Olympia Transit Center located at 205 Franklin St. NE, Olympia, WA.

  2. Records Index. The Intercity Transit Authority has issued an order as authorized by RCW 42.56.070 that maintaining a current public records index would be unduly burdensome and will not be done. Intercity Transit staff will give the public the fullest assistance practicable in identifying and disclosing public records.
     
  3. Organization of records. Intercity Transit will maintain its records in a reasonably organized manner. Intercity Transit will take reasonable actions to protect records from damage and disorganization.  A requestor shall not take Intercity Transit records from Intercity Transit offices without the permission of the public records officer or designee. A variety of records is available on the Intercity Transit website. Requestors are encouraged to view documents on the website prior to submitting a records request.
     
  4. Making a request for public records. Any person wishing to inspect or copy public records of Intercity Transit should make the request in writing on Intercity Transit’s request form, or by letter, or e-mail addressed to the public records officer and include the following information:

    a.       Name of requestor;
    b.       Address of requestor;
    c.       Other contact information, including telephone number and any e-mail address;
    d.       Identification of the public records adequate for the public records officer or designee to locate the records; and 
    e.       The date and time of day of the request.

If the requestor wishes to have copies of the records made instead of simply inspecting them, he or she should so indicate and make arrangements to pay for copies of the records or a deposit RCW 42.56.120(4). Fees are 15 cents per page for printed copies, 10 cents per page for scanning copies, 5 cents for each (4) electronic files or attachments, and 10 cents per gigabyte for video for any request over $5.00.

A form is available for use by requestors at the office of the public records officer and on-line at www.intercitytransit.com.

The public records officer or designee may accept requests for public records that contain the above information by telephone or in person. If the public records officer or designee accepts such a request, he or she will confirm receipt of the information and the substance of the request in writing.

Processing of Public Records Requests —General.  WAC 44-14-040

  1. Providing “fullest assistance.” Intercity Transit is charged by statute with adopting rules which provide for how it will “provide full access to public records,” “protect records from damage or disorganization,” “prevent excessive interference with other essential functions of the agency,” provide “fullest assistance” to requestors, and provide the “most timely possible action” on public records requests. The public records officer or designee will process requests in the order allowing the most requests to be processed in the most efficient manner.
     
  2. Acknowledging receipt of request. Within five business days of receipt of the request, the public records officer will do one or more of the following: 
    Make the records available for inspection or copying; 
    If copies are requested and payment of a deposit for the copies, if any, is made or terms of payment are agreed upon, send the copies to the requestor, consistently with 44.14.070 below; or 
    Provide a reasonable estimate of when records will be available; or 
    If the request is unclear or does not sufficiently identify the requested records, request clarification from the requestor.  Such clarification may be requested and provided by telephone. The public records officer or designee may revise the estimate of when records will be available; or 
    Deny the request.
     
  3. Consequences of failure to respond. If Intercity Transit does not respond in writing within five business days of receipt of the request for disclosure, the requestor should consider contacting the public records officer to determine the reason for the failure to respond.
     
  4. Protecting rights of others. In the event that the requested records contain information that may affect rights of others and may be exempt from disclosure, the public records officer may, prior to providing the records, give notice to such others whose rights may be affected by the disclosure. Such notice should be given so as to make it possible for those other persons to contact the requestor and ask him or her to revise the request, or, if necessary, seek an order from a court to prevent or limit the disclosure. The notice to the affected persons will include a copy of the request. 
     
  5. Records exempt from disclosure. Some records are exempt from disclosure, in whole or in part.  If Intercity Transit believes that a record is exempt from disclosure and should be withheld, the public records officer will state the specific exemption and provide a brief explanation of why the record or a portion of the record is being withheld. If only a portion of a record is exempt from disclosure, but the remainder is not exempt, the public records officer will redact the exempt portions, provide the nonexempt portions, and indicate to the requestor why portions of the record are being redacted.
     
  6. Inspection of records. Consistent with other demands, Intercity Transit shall promptly provide space to inspect public records. No member of the public may remove a document from the viewing area or disassemble or alter any document. The requestor shall indicate which documents he or she wishes the agency to copy.

    The requestor must claim or review the assembled records within thirty days of Intercity Transit’s notification to him or her that the records are available for inspection or copying. The agency will notify the requestor in writing of this requirement and inform the requestor that he or she should contact the agency to make arrangements to claim or review the records. If the requestor or a representative of the requestor fails to claim or review the records within the thirty-day period or make other arrangements, Intercity Transit may close the request and re-file the assembled records. Other public records requests can be processed ahead of a subsequent request by the same person for the same or almost identical records, which can be processed as a new request. 
     
  7. Providing copies of records. After inspection is complete, the public records officer or designee shall make the requested copies or arrange for copying.
     
  8. Providing records in installments. When the request is for a large number of records, the public records officer or designee will provide access for inspection and copying in installments, if he or she reasonably determines that it would be practical to provide the records in that way. If, within thirty days, the requestor fails to inspect the entire set of records or one or more of the installments, the public records officer or designee may stop searching for the remaining records and close the request.
     
  9. Completion of inspection. When the inspection of the requested records is complete and all requested copies are provided, the public records officer or designee will indicate that Intercity Transit has completed a diligent search for the requested records and made any located nonexempt records available for inspection. 
     
  10. Closing withdrawn or abandoned request. When the requestor either withdraws the request or fails to fulfill his or her obligations to inspect the records or pay the deposit or final payment for the requested copies, the public records officer will close the request and indicate to the requestor that Intercity Transit has closed the request. 
     
  11. Later discovered documents. If, after Intercity Transit has informed the requestor that it has provided all available records, Intercity Transit becomes aware of additional responsive documents existing at the time of the request, it will promptly inform the requestor of the additional documents and provide them on an expedited basis.

Reserved.  WAC 44-14-050

Exemptions.  WAC 44-14-060

  1. The Public Records Act provides that a number of types of documents are exempt from public inspection and copying.  In addition, documents are exempt from disclosure if any “other statute” exempts or prohibits disclosure. Requestors should be aware of the following exemptions, outside the Public Records Act, that restrict the availability of some documents held by Intercity Transit for inspection and copying.

This list does not necessarily include all disclosure exemptions that may apply to Intercity Transit records.