Make a Data Request

Right to Access Public Data 

The Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13) presumes that all government data are public unless a state or federal law says the data are not public. Government data means all recorded information a government entity has, including paper, email, flash drives, CDs, DVDs, photographs, etc. 

The Data Practices Act also provides that the city of Pipestone must keep all government data in a way that makes it easy for you, as a member of the public, to access public data. You have the right to look at (inspect), free of charge, all public data that we keep. You also have the right to get copies of public data. The Data Practices Act allows us to charge for copies. You have the right to look at data, free of charge, before deciding to request copies. 

How to Make a Data Request 

To look at data or request copies of data that the city of Pipestone keeps, make a written request. Make your written request for data to the City Administrator or appropriate individual. You may make your written request for data by mail, email or fax by completing the City of Pipestone's Data Request form. Requests for a small amount of public data may not require a written request, at the sole discretion of the Responsible Authority or Designee for the department which maintains the data. 

If you choose not to use the data request form, your written request should include: 

  • Say that you are making a request for public data under the Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13). 
  • Include whether you would like to inspect the data, have copies of the data, or both. 
  • Provide a clear description of the data you would like to inspect or have copied. 

You are not required to identify yourself or explain the reason for your data request. However, you may need to provide us with some personal information for practical reasons (for example: if you want us to mail copies to you, you need to provide us with an address or P.O Box). If we do not understand your request and have no way to contact you, we cannot respond to your request. 

How We Respond to a Data Request 

Upon receiving your written request, we will work to process it. 

  • If we do not have the data, we will notify you in writing as soon as reasonably possible. 
  • If we have the data, but the data are not public, we will notify you in writing as soon as reasonably possible and state which specific law says the data are not public. 
  • If we have the data, and the data are public, we will respond to your request appropriately and promptly, within a reasonable amount of time by doing one of the following: 
    • arrange a date, time, and place to inspect data, for free, if your request is to look at the data, or
    • provide you with copies of the data as soon as reasonably possible. You may choose to pick up your copies, or we will mail or fax them to you. If you want us to send you the copies, you will need to provide us with an address or fax number. We will provide electronic copies (such as email or CD) upon request if we keep the data in electronic format. Information about copy charges is listed in the city's annual fee schedule. We also will arrange for you to pre-pay for the copies. Pre-payment of copies is required unless other arrangements are approved by the Department Head or Data Practices Compliance Official for the responding department.

If you do not understand some of the data (technical terminology, abbreviations, or acronyms), please let us know. We will give you an explanation if you ask. 

The Data Practices Act does not require us to create or collect new data in response to a data request if we do not already have the data, or to provide data in a specific form or arrangement if we do not keep the data in that form or arrangement. (For example, if the data you request are on paper only, we are not required to create electronic documents to respond to your request.) If we agree to create data in response to your request, we will work with you on the details of your request, including cost and response time. 

In addition, the Data Practices Act does not require us to answer questions that are not requests for data. 

Requests for Summary Data 

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. The city of Pipestone will prepare summary data if you make your request in writing and pre-pay for the cost of creating the data. Upon receiving your written request – you may use the City of Pipestone Data Request form – we will respond within ten business days with the data or details of when the data will be ready and how much we will charge.

  1. Data Request Form