A request can be submitted using the online form. All requests submitted by mail, email (righttoknow@upperdarby.org) or in person directly must be submitted using the PA Standard Right-to-Know Law Request Form.
It takes 5 business days from the date of submission to get an initial response. The Township may take an additional 30 days to complete the request, pursuant to Section 902(a) of the Right to Know Law.
Your full name, email address, and what information you are requesting is required. The form will also ask you for how you'd like to receive your requested information (e.x. inspecting the records or receiving copies) and some details about your request.
You can submit by:
Yes. You will be charged the fee of the actual postage.
Internal pre-decisional deliberations of administrators, employees, and Board members
Draft minutes of meetings
Communication with insurance carriers
Communication with Township Solicitor or other attorneys
Records which, if disclosed, would:
Result in loss of Federal or State funds
Lead to the physical harm or personal security of a person
Jeopardize safety of the public, a building, infrastructure, information storage system or resource
Records identifying the name, home address, or birth date of a child (17 years or younger)
Records identifying an individual's personal health information, applications for social services or confidential information such as social security number, driver’s license, financial information or personal contact information
Records of employee’s:
Reference letters or criticisms
Employment applications (if not hired)
Employee assistance program information
Grievances and complaints of discrimination
Discipline, demotion and discharge (except for final action of discharge or demotion)
Certain records relating to criminal and non-criminal investigations
Transcripts or exhibits of arbitration hearings
Drafts of policies, resolutions, ordinances, or administrative regulations
Trade secrets or confidential proprietary information
Personal notes and working papers of an individual
Other records may be exempted by legislation or case law
The primary place we would recommend is the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records website.
Just as it says on the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records How to File an Appeal web page:
To file an appeal under the Right-to-Know law, a citizen must provide the following:
You must provide this within 15 business days from the date that the Agency [Upper Darby Township] mailed to you a denial letter or the date that the request was “deemed denied.” When an agency does not respond to you in writing with five business days of your written RTK request that request is “deemed denied.” If an agency did not respond, please indicate this in writing.
You must provide the required information no later than the 15th business day or your appeal will be untimely under the law and therefore cannot be processed. If that time frame has expired, or will expire, before you provide to us the required information, you will have to file another RTK request with the Agency.
When we receive your completed file, we will assign a docket number, send you a an acknowledgment letter and assign an Appeals Officer to process your appeal.
Appeals should be sent to the Office of Open Records, Commonwealth Keystone Building, 400 North St., 4th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225. They may also be submitted via facsimile to 717-425-5343 or via email.
Your request could be denied for the following reasons:
It requires the redaction of a public record
It requires the retrieval of documents stored in a remote location
The documents can not be retrieved due to flood, fire or other disaster
If the document is historical or rare and the document may be damaged
A timely response can not be accomplished due to staff limitations
It would require a legal review about whether the request falls within the Right to Know law
The person requesting the records has not followed policies
The person requesting the records will not pay the fees
If your request is denied you can choose to file an appeal.
If you ask for hard copies of a report that exists electronically, it costs $.25 per page to print and $.43 per page of any Greenbar reports. If you ask for the hard copies to be mailed to you, you must pay the postage as well. If information is only available through hard copies, you will be charged accordingly.