FOIL Submission Audit: Town of Greece (High Friction / Mandatory Disclosure)
→ This post is part of the Monroe County FOIL Submission Audit.
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TL;DR
The Town of Greece requires FOIL requests to be submitted through an online form that mandates disclosure of personal identifying information and contact details that FOIL does not require. While the Town clearly identifies the Records Access Officer and provides contact information, the submission process itself imposes high friction at intake through mandatory disclosure and form-only submission.
How FOIL Requests Are Submitted in the Town of Greece
The Town of Greece provides an online FOIL request form for submitting requests to the Town Clerk.
The webpage directs requesters to:
“submit your request, using this form to the Town Clerk.”
No alternative submission method (email, written request, or mail without the form) is clearly documented on the FOIL submission page.
Records Access Officer Identified (Strength)
The Town clearly identifies its Records Access Officer:
- Ivana Casilio, Town Clerk
- Records Management Officer
- Phone and fax numbers provided
This satisfies a core FOIL accountability requirement.
Online FOIL Submission Requirements
The Greece FOIL form designates required fields with an asterisk and requires the requester to complete all required fields before submission.
Mandatory Request Information
- Description of records requested
Mandatory Personal Identifying Information
- Full name
- Street address
- City, state, ZIP code
- Phone number
- Email address or fax number
- Preferred contact method
Optional (but prominently presented) fields include:
- Property address
- Tax account number
⚠️ High Friction Identified
Submission is conditioned on disclosure of full personal identifying and contact information, none of which are required by FOIL to submit a valid request.
Mandatory Contact Preference
The form requires the requester to select a preferred contact method (phone, fax, or email) and to provide corresponding contact information.
This further conditions submission on providing multiple forms of contact, even where a single method would suffice.
Alternative Submission Methods
While the Town provides phone and fax contact information for the Records Management Officer, the FOIL page does not clearly document an alternative method for submitting a FOIL request without completing the online form.
As presented, the FOIL intake process is form-dependent.
Timelines, Fees, and Appeals
The FOIL submission page does not prominently disclose:
- Statutory acknowledgment timelines
- Fee schedules
- Appeal rights or appeal officer
This information may exist elsewhere on the Town’s website, but it is not presented at the point of submission.
This distinguishes Greece from several other towns that pair high-friction forms with clearer process disclosures.
Anonymous or Low-Disclosure Submission
As presented, the Town of Greece’s FOIL submission process does not support anonymous or low-disclosure requests:
- Full name and address are required
- Multiple contact methods are required
- Submission cannot proceed without disclosure
Assessment
The Town of Greece demonstrates basic FOIL accountability by identifying the Records Access Officer but relies on a mandatory, disclosure-heavy online submission form with limited process transparency at intake.
Key findings include:
- Online form required for submission
- Mandatory personal identifying information
- Mandatory contact preference selection
- No clearly documented alternative submission method
- Limited process and appeal information at the submission page
Summary Scorecard
- FOIL form required: Yes
- Online submission available: Yes
- Alternative submission methods documented: No
- Records Access Officer identified: Yes
- Personal information required: Yes
- Anonymous submission clearly supported: No
- Timelines and appeal rights disclosed at submission page: No
- Overall assessment: High Friction – Mandatory Disclosure
Conclusion
As presented, the Town of Greece conditions FOIL submission on disclosure of personal identifying and contact information through a mandatory online form, without clearly documenting alternative submission methods or key FOIL process information at intake.
Within the Monroe County FOIL Submission Audit, Greece represents a high-friction, form-dependent FOIL submission model with limited transparency at the point of request.
Legal & Reference Notes
- New York Public Officers Law §§ 87–89
- Town of Greece FOIL request page
- Town of Greece FOIL submission form