The Peeples Valley Fire District is committed to transparency and to providing access to public records in accordance with Arizona law, while recognizing the operational realities of a small, rural fire district with limited administrative staffing.

Governing Law

All requests for records maintained by the District are governed by the Arizona Public Records Law, which provides that public records are open to inspection by any person unless otherwise made confidential by law.

As a tax-supported special district, the District also complies with Arizona Revised Statutes § 48-5913, which requires that official records, including meeting minutes, financial records, and district actions, be maintained and made available for public review.

How to Submit a Request

Due to limited administrative staffing, the District strongly encourages written requests.

Requests may be submitted by:

• Email: admin@peeplesvalleyfire.org
• Mail: Peeples Valley Fire District, PO Box 936, Yarnell, AZ 85362

Requests are processed during normal business hours, subject to staff availability.

Required Information

To ensure prompt processing, requests must include:

• Requestor’s name and contact information
• Specific description of the records sought
• Relevant date ranges and subject matter
• Preferred format (inspection, paper, or electronic copies)
• Statement indicating whether the request is for commercial purposes under A.R.S. § 39-121.03

The District may seek clarification on any unclear or overly broad requests before processing them.

Response Time

Under Arizona law, records must be provided promptly. For the Peeples Valley Fire District:

• Routine requests are typically fulfilled within 5–10 business days
• Complex or voluminous requests may require additional time
• Requests requiring legal review, redaction, or archival retrieval may experience delays

The District will acknowledge receipt of requests and provide status updates when delays are expected.

Fees and Charges

Fees are assessed in accordance with Arizona law and are intended to recover actual costs:

• Inspection of records: No charge (by appointment)
• Paper copies: $0.25 per page (standard)
• Large-format or specialized copies: Actual cost
• Electronic records: Actual cost of media (USB, CD) if required
• Staff time: May be charged for commercial requests or when requests require extensive search, retrieval, or redaction

 

Commercial Requests

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 39-121.03, requests for commercial purposes may be subject to:

• Personnel time (hourly rate based on employee wages)
• Copying and reproduction costs
• Any other costs directly attributable to fulfilling the request

A cost estimate will be provided in advance if fees are expected to exceed $25. Prepayment may be required.

Exemptions and Redactions

Certain records may be withheld or redacted in accordance with Arizona law, including but not limited to the following:

• Confidential or protected information
• Personally identifiable or medical information (e.g., patient care reports)
• Records affecting privacy rights or public safety
• Attorney-client privileged communications

If access is denied in whole or in part, the District will state the legal basis for the denial.

Rural District Considerations

As a small rural fire district:

• Administrative functions may be handled by limited personnel or part-time staff
• Records may be stored in multiple formats, including archived physical files
• Emergency response operations take priority over administrative functions

The District appreciates your patience and will make reasonable efforts to fulfill all requests as promptly as practicable.