City Clerk

The Office of the City Clerk is a service department within the city government upon which the City Council, all City departments, and the general public rely for information regarding the operations and legislative history of the City. The City Clerk serves as the liaison between the public and City Council and provides related municipal services.

• Preparation of biweekly City Council Agendas and Minutes and Board of Public Works and Safety Agendas and Minutes.
• Maintenance of journal of City Council meetings; oversight of records of all resolutions, ordinances, and other official actions by the Council.
• Maintenance of all City contracts, agreements, deeds, appointments, bonds and other vital documents.
• Preparation of official transcripts of City documents required by the courts of law or City officials.
• Preparation and publication of all required legal advertisements and public notices of City business.
• Providing the general public and public agencies with access to all official city records.

Access to Public Records

It is the public policy of Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (“APRA”), Ind. Code §5-14-3 et seq., that “[p]roviding persons with information is an essential function of a representative government and an integral part of the routine duties of public officials and employees, whose duty it is to provide the information.” Ind. Code §5-14-3-1. Accordingly, any person has the right to inspect and copy public records during regular business hours unless the records are protected from disclosure as confidential or otherwise exempt under the APRA.

Documents are subject to charges as set forth by City Code Sec. 50-33. There is no charge to inspect, review, examine, or search for a public document on site. Many public records are available online throughout this website.

Sec. 50-33. – Fee schedule for certification and copying of documents.

(a) The following reasonable fees are established and shall be paid by the requesting party no later than the time of delivery of each of these documents described with this exception: Michigan City residents showing proper identification may receive, at no charge, one copy of any documents totaling 20 pages or less in subsection (1) of this section.

• (1) Each page of any document which is a public record under I.C. 5-14-3, et seq., which is not exempt from disclosure:
  • Non-color copy ….. $0.10
  • Color copy ….. $0.25
• (2) Certification of documents (per page) ….. $1.00
• (3) Audio tapes, videotapes, DVDs or CDs, per item:
  • Those reproduced by the City of Michigan City ….. $10.00
  • Those requiring reproduction by outside resource (plus outside costs) ….. $2.00
• (4) Maps (per square foot of paper) ….. $1.00
• (5) Photographs:
  • Those reproduced by the City of Michigan City ….. $1.00
  • Those requiring reproduction by outside resource (plus outside costs) ….. $1.00
• (6) Law enforcement recording fee ….. $150.00

(b) The city may require payment in advance for certification and production of documents, as well as direct shipping and postage costs.

(c) Certification by the city clerk or other official shall incur a $1.00 charge in addition to reproduction charges.

(Ord. No. 4123, 1-18-2011; Ord. No. 4397, § 2, 9-6-2016)

Police Report Requests

For records maintained by the Police Department, contact the Police Department Records Division.

Fire Report Requests

Sec. 54-34. – Fee for copies of fire reports

There is established a fee in the amount established in section 50-281 for each fire report furnished to a requesting party. No fee shall be charged to law enforcement officers requesting such reports in the course of official duties. Fees are deposited in the general fund.

(Code 1980, § 32.005; Ord. No. 2917, 7-17-1986)

State Law reference— Charge for copies of public records, IC 5-14-3-8.

Sec. 50-281. – Fee for copies of fire reports

The fee established in section 54-34 is $5.00.

(Code 1980, § 32.005; Ord. No. 2917, 7-17-1986)

State Law reference— Charge for copies of public records, IC 5-14-3-8.

The Council is composed of nine members. Six members of the Council are elected from wards, with the remaining three members elected at large by the voters of the city.

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