Overview
All Illinois municipalities – including the City of Hillsboro – fall under the provisions of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Persons wishing to view or obtain copies of the City records must submit written request to view and/or receive copies of records and submit it to City Clerk who serves as the City’s official keeper of records.
State Statute
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a state statute (5 ILCS 140) that provides for a straight-forward, easy-to-use method for the public to gain access to records. Any person who wishes to inspect and/or obtain copies of public records from the City of Hillsboro shall submit a FOIA request to the City Clerk’s Office unless the document can be obtained immediately.
Requests
All requests for city documents will be directed to the FOIA Officer in the City Clerk’s Office. Requests for police documents are handled by the Police FOIA Officer and can be made by mail or in person at the Hillsboro Police Department located in City Hall at:
447 South Main Street
Hillsboro, IL 62049
The city will respond to all Freedom of Information requests within 5 working days of its receipt. If additional time is needed you will be notified of the City’s intent to respond within an additional 5 working days as permitted under the Act. If any of the materials you have requested are exempt under the Act, you will be notified in writing of the specific exemption which applies to the documents and you will be provided with all non-exempt materials.
