Our FOIA Policy

The Metropolitan Sewer Subdistrict Commission, (the “Commission”), the governing body of the Metropolitan Sewer Subdistrict d/b/a MetroConnects (“MetroConnects”), recognizes the findings of the General Assembly of South Carolina that it is vital in a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner so that citizens shall be advised of the performance of public officials and of the decisions that are reached in public activity and in the formulation of public policy. In order to ensure that MetroConnects conducts public business in an open and public manner, it shall be the policy of MetroConnects to comply with both the letter and the spirit of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), as codified at §§ 30-4-10 et seq. of the Code of Laws of South Carolina 1976, as amended, in regard to the processing of requests for access to public records (the “Policy”). The General Manager of MetroConnects shall designate an individual to be responsible for MetroConnects’s response to all record requests received pursuant to FOIA (the “FOIA Manager”).

Read the FOIA POLICY

Making A FOIA Request

All requests for public documents pursuant to FOIA, except for those described below, must be made in writing and submitted either (i) in person at the MetroConnects offices; (ii) by mail to the address provided on the MetroConnects website, Attn: FOIA Manager; or (iii) by electronic mail to the email address provided on the MetroConnects website.

Please direct all FOIA requests to:

MetroConnects

ATTN: FOIA Manager

120 Augusta Arbor Way

Greenville, SC 29605

or

email: [email protected]

Requests made by letter or in some other written form should contain substantially the same information provided on the Request Form. In order to ensure the most accurate and prompt response, requests should be as detailed, specific, and descriptive as possible.

Requests to inspect the following public records do not need to be in writing, provided the request is made in-person at the MetroConnects office and within normal business hours:

Minutes of all public meetings of MetroConnects for the preceding six months; and
Documents produced by MetroConnects or its agent that were distributed to or reviewed by a member of the Commission during a public meeting for the preceding six months.

FOIA Request Form

Response Time

Upon receipt of a written request for records under FOIA, MetroConnects will determine if the records are available. MetroConnects will notify the requestor of this determination within ten (10) business days for records less than two (2) years old, or within twenty (20) business days for records more than two (2) years old. Business days do not include Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays.

Production Time
If MetroConnects determines that the requested records are available and are not exempt from disclosure under FOIA, the records will be furnished within thirty (30) calendar days. If the records are more than two years old, the records will be furnished within thirty-five (35) calendar days.

Please note: The response and production deadlines may be extended by written mutual consent. MetroConnects shall not create new records, nor summarize existing records. Requested records shall be released in the format most convenient to MetroConnects. MetroConnects may, in its discretion, create electronic records where they do not otherwise exist.

Fee Schedule for FOIA Charges

Pursuant to Section 30-4-30 of FOIA, MetroConnects has established the fee schedule below.

Costs for staff time necessary to respond to a FOIA request shall not exceed the prorated hourly salary of the lowest cost employee of MetroConnects who, in the opinion of the FOIA Manager, has the knowledge and access to records necessary to fulfill the request.
Costs shall not be charged for time spent examining records to determine whether they may be disclosed; however, costs shall be charged for time spent redacting records.
Charges for copies of records will not exceed the standard commercial rate.
Additionally, copy charges do not apply to electronic copies; however, MetroConnects may charge for staff time to transfer the documents to electronic format in addition to the cost for electronic media set forth in the fee schedule below.
Where it is anticipated that the staff time necessary to comply with a request may exceed five (5) hours, the requestor may be required to pay a deposit of one quarter of the estimated costs of complying with the request before staff will begin searching for or making copies of the requested records. The requesting party shall pay the full amount due prior to delivery of records.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: At the discretion of the FOIA Manager, any portion of these charges may be waived.

Pursuant to § 30-2-50 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended, you are prohibited from knowingly using public records obtained from MetroConnects for commercial solicitation. Violation of this law is punishable by law as a misdemeanor, resulting in up to a year in prison or a fine not to exceed $500.