Request for Public Data

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act gives everyone the right to look at and request copies of public data that the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board maintains.

Your Rights as a Member of the Public

Your Rights as a Member of the Public to Access Government Data

Government Data as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.02, subd. 7 “All data collected, created, received, maintained or disseminated by any government entity regardless of its physical form, storage media or conditions of use”. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDP) gives you, and all other members of the public, the right to inspect and have copies of public data that the MPRB keeps. The law defines what we provide when you ask to see the data we have.
With the exception of personnel data, all MPRB data is presumed classified as public unless Minnesota or federal law states exemption of the data as not public. Requests for personnel data that are not from the data subject are presumed not public unless classified as public by law. Not public classifications of data include private, nonpublic, confidential, or protected nonpublic.

How to Make a Data Request

To inspect data or request copies of data that the MPRB keeps, make a written request by completing the Request for Public Data Form found below, it is also found at the Customer Service counter and in the Board book at each Park Board meeting.

If you are a member of the public, see the Public Data Access Policy found below.

If you are a data subject, please see the Data Subject and Access Policy found below.

  • Completed request forms will be accepted through the online form submission, by mail, fax, email, or in person at the Customer Service counter. You can make a request or review data maintained by MPRB during normal MPRB business hours of 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m., Monday through Friday except for legal holidays.
  • In your request, state a clear description of the data you would like to inspect or have copied. If we are not sure exactly what information you are requesting, we will ask you for clarification. You do not have to tell us who you are or explain why you are asking for the data.
  • All requests are renewable after 30 days. To renew a request, notify the MPRB in writing, by emailing datarequest@minneapolisparks.org, or by submitting the Request for Public Data Form.

How we respond to a Data Request

Upon receiving your completed data practices request form, we will work to process it.

  • If we do not have data responsive to your request, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible.
  • If we have data, but the data are not public, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and state the specific law that classifies the data as not public.
  • If we have the public data, we will respond to your request within a reasonable amount of time. You have the right to have public data explained. If you do not understand some of the data (technical terminology, abbreviations, or acronyms) please contact the MPRB Compliance Official and ask for an explanation.

We are not required to collect or create new data in order to respond to data requests. We are not required to provide data in a specific form if we do not keep the data in that form. We cannot charge you a fee for inspecting public data. You have the right to inspect all public data the MPRB keeps. We can’t charge you a fee for separating public data from data that are not public.

You have the right to have copies of the public data we keep. You have the right to have a copy of any data that you have a right to see. This includes the right to have copies of all or parts of specific documents, files, records, databases, or types of data that we keep. If you ask for the copies in electronic form, and we keep the data in electronic form, we will give you the data in electronic form. Once we have your request, we will provide the copies you asked for as soon as reasonably possible, depending on how many copies you are requesting and how many staff we have available to respond to your request. We have the right to charge you a reasonable fee for providing copies. We will charge you a fee for making copies of the data you request. If you ask that the copies be mailed or faxed to you, the fee will include postage if applicable.

If you request a certified copy of a document, we will charge you to certify the document. If you are requesting copies of data that have commercial value, we will charge you a fee in addition to the fee for the copies. We may require payment in advance.

You have the right to see and have copies of summary data. Summary data are statistical records or reports that are prepared by removing all identifiers from private or confidential data on individuals. We will prepare summary data for you if you submit a Request for Public Data form and pay for the cost of creating the data. We require prepayment for summary data requests. When we receive your request, we will contact you to make arrangements to prepare the summary data. We will let you or someone else prepare the summary data if: you explain in your request why you want to prepare the data; you agree not to release any of the private or confidential data used to prepare the summary data we determine that giving you access to private and confidential data will not compromise those data.

Responsible Authority, Jennifer Ringold
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411-2227
Email: datarequest@minneapolisparks.org
Phone: 612-230-6400

Data Practices Compliance Official, Katie Deneson
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411-2227
Email: datarequest@minneapolisparks.org
Phone: 612-230-6468

Public Data Access Policy

BACKGROUND
Minn. Stat. § 13 also known as Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) gives all members of the public, the right to inspect and have copies of public data that the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) maintains. The law also controls how the MPRB maintains government data and the response by the MPRB when a request is made.
Government Data as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.02, subd. 7 “All data collected, created, received, maintained or disseminated by any government entity regardless of its physical form, storage media or conditions of use”. Minn. Stat. § 13.025 and 13.03 require this policy be updated annually.
POLICY
With the exception of personnel data, all MPRB data is presumed classified as public unless Minnesota or federal law states exemption of the data as not public. Requests for personnel data that are not from the data subject are presumed not public unless classified as public by law. Not public classifications of data include private, nonpublic, confidential, or protected nonpublic.
MGDPA is the primary resource for the MPRB in determining when data is public/not public in nature.
PROCEDURES

A. Contact the MPRB

  1. All requests are to be made in writing by completing the Request for Public Data Form which is available on the MPRB website at Public Data, at Customer Service, and in the Board book at each Park Board meeting
  2. The requestor may submit the Request for Public Data through the online form, in person, through the mail, or by email to datarequest@minneapolisparks.org
    In person requests may be made during normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday except for legal holidays at 2117 W. River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55411

B. Information to include in the Request

  1. Clearly describe the data that is being requested (when possible please use specifics such as dates, or park names)
  2. If the request is unclear, the MPRB will ask for clarification from the requestor
  3. All requests are renewable after thirty days. To renew a request, notify the MPRB in writing by completing the Request for Public Data Form

C. Response from the MPRB for Public Data

  1. Response to requests for public data will be made as soon as reasonably possible
    • If the requested data is not public, the MPRB will cite the specific statutory section, temporary classification or specific provision of federal or state law that classifies the data as not public
    • The MPRB is required to provide data responsive to the request. If the data does not exist, the MPRB is not required to create new data. The requestor will be notified that there is no responsive data
  2. The MPRB is not required to produce data in a particular form or format if the data is not maintained in that form or format
  3. Data requested by a person with a disability may be received in alternative formats, such as Braille, digitally, or by voice
  4. The MPRB is not required to answer questions that are not requests for data

D. Inspection of Public Data

  1. The requestor has the right to look at public data at no cost
  2. The MPRB does not charge a fee for separating public data from data that is not public
  3. Inspection of data must be made during normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the exception of legal holidays at 2117 W. River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55411
  4. If MPRB keeps the data in electronic format, the requestor may inspect public data on their own computer, and may print or download the data using their own computer, at no cost
  5. If the requestor does not understand some of the data (technical terminology, abbreviations, or acronyms) they should contact the MPRB Responsible Authority and ask for an explanation

E. Copying of Public Data

  1. The requestor has the right to have a copy of any data that they have a right to see
  2. MPRB has the right to charge a reasonable fee for providing copies
  3. MPRB will provide requested copies as soon as reasonably possible
  4. MPRB may require a portion or full payment in advance
  5. If the copies of data have commercial value, the Park Board will charge a fee in addition to the fee for the copies
  6. Data and copy fees may be charged as long as they are reasonable

F. Summary Data

  1. Summary data are statistical records or reports that are prepared by removing all identifiers from private or confidential data on individuals. The preparation of summary data is not a means to gain access to private or confidential data
  2. MPRB will prepare summary data if the requestor makes a request in writing using the data request form and pre-pay for the cost of creating the data
  3. The MPRB may delegate the preparation of summary data to anyone outside of the MPRB, including the requestor, if:
    • that person/purpose is set forth in writing,
    • the person agrees not to release any of the private or confidential data use to prepare the summary data, and
    • the MPRB reasonably determines that the access will not compromise private or confidential data on individuals.

Responsible Authority, Jennifer Ringold
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411-2227
Email: datarequest@minneapolisparks.org
Phone: 612-230-6400

Data Practices Compliance Official, Katie Deneson
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411-2227
Email: datarequest@minneapolisparks.org
Phone: 612-230-6468

Data Subject and Access Policy

Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Minnesota Government Data Practices Act Data Subject Rights and Access Policy

BACKGROUND
Minn. Stat. § 13.04 is part of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) and explains an individual’s rights as a data subject.  An individual is a living human being. Minnesota Statutes classifies data that the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board keeps about individuals as: public, private, or confidential.

POLICY
Tennessen warning.
An individual asked to supply private or confidential data concerning the individual will be informed of: (a) the purpose and intended use of the requested data within the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board; (b) whether the individual may refuse or is legally required to supply the requested data; (c) any known consequence arising from supplying or refusing to supply private or confidential data; and (d) the identity of other persons or entities authorized by state or federal law to receive the data.  This requirement does not apply when an individual is asked to supply investigative data, pursuant to Minnesota statute section 13.82, subdivision 7, to a law enforcement officer.

Access to data by individual.
Upon request to the responsible authority, an individual will be informed whether the individual is the subject of stored data on individuals, and whether it is classified as public, private or confidential. Upon further written request, an individual who is the subject of stored private or public data on individuals will be shown the data without any charge and, if desired, will be informed of the content and meaning of that data. After an individual has been shown the private data and informed of its meaning, the data need not be disclosed to that individual for six months thereafter unless a dispute or action pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.04 is pending or additional data on the individual has been collected or created. The responsible authority will provide copies of the private or public data upon request by the individual subject of the data. The responsible authority may require the requesting person to pay the actual costs of making and certifying the copies.
The responsible authority will comply immediately, if possible, with any request made pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.04 subdivision 3, or within ten days of the date of the request, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, if immediate compliance is not possible.

Procedure when data is not accurate or complete.

A) An individual subject of the data may contest the accuracy or completeness of public or private data. To exercise this right, an individual shall notify in writing the responsible authority describing the nature of the disagreement. The responsible authority will within 30 days either: (1) correct the data found to be inaccurate or incomplete and attempt to notify past recipients of inaccurate or incomplete data, including recipients named by the individual; or (2) notify the individual that the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board believes the data to be correct. Data in dispute will be disclosed only if the individual’s statement of disagreement is included with the disclosed data.

The determination of the responsible authority may be appealed pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act relating to contested cases.

B) Data on individuals that have been successfully challenged by an individual will be completed, corrected, or destroyed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board without regard to the requirements of Minnesota Statutes section 138.17.

After completing, correcting, or destroying successfully challenged data, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board may retain a copy of the commissioner of administration’s order issued under Minnesota Statutes chapter 14 or, if no order were issued, a summary of the dispute between the parties that does not contain any particulars of the successfully challenged data.

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Responsible Authority is Jennifer Ringold. Questions or concerns regarding problems in obtaining access to data or other data practices problems are to be directed to the Data Practices Compliance Official, Katie Deneson.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411‐2227
(612) 230‐6400


Request for Public Data Form

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB) requires that members of the public requesting access to data collected, maintained or disseminated by the MPRB specify in writing the specific data being requested through the use of this form.

Request for Public Data Form

A PDF version of this form can be viewed/downloaded here. [PDF]