Open Records Department

Mission Statement

"The Mission of the Borough of Somerset’s Office of Open Records is to enforce the state’s Right-to-Know law and to serve as a resource for citizens, public officials and members of the media in obtaining public records of their government."  

Open Records Department

  • Open Records Officer: Benedict G. Vinzani Jr., Ph.D.

Right-to-Know Request Policy

This written policy outlines the proper procedures for requesting records from the Borough of Somerset under Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law

Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the:

  • Borough of Somerset Open Records Officer
  • Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) Office at 814-443-2661.

How to Submit a Right-to-Know Request to the Borough of Somerset:

  1. All RTKL requests for records must be in writing. Each request must identify or describe the records sought with sufficient specificity to enable the Borough of Somerset to ascertain which records are being requested. Each request must also provide a name and address to which the Borough of Somerset response will be directed.

  2. All requests must be in one of the following formats and addressed to the Borough’s Open Records Officer, as follows:

    • Borough of Somerset
      ATTN: Agency Open Records Officer
      Mr. Benedict G. Vinzani, Jr., Ph.D.
      347 West Union Street
      PO Box 71
      Somerset, PA 15501

    • Email:  openrecords@somersetborough.com

    • Fax: 1-814-445-3881

Requests may be sent to the Borough of Somerset RTKL Office via mail, fax, or in person during regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays and official office closings).

  1. Additional forms and guidelines.

    Contact Us

    Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
    Open Records Officer: openrecords@somersetborough.com
    Phone: (814) 443-2661
    Fax: (814) 445-3881
    Street Address: 347 West Union Street
    Mailing Address: PO Box 71, Somerset, PA 15501

    If a written request for records is granted, the following fees will be charged to the requestor:

    •  $0.25 per page for duplication

    •  $2.00 per record certification

    •  Actual costs for postage, facsimile or other media, and for duplication of specialized records

    • $15 per report for providing a copy of a vehicle accident report.

RTKL fees for duplication are established by the Office of Open Records, as posted on its web site at https://www.openrecords.pa.gov/.  As expressly provided by 65 P.S. §67.1307(g), the Agency is authorized to charge requesters reasonable fees for necessarily incurred costs. 

  1. Requesters must pay all applicable RTKL fees before access to requested records is provided. Should the Borough of Somerset determine that applicable fees are projected to exceed $100.00, the requester will be required to prepay the fees before the request is processed. All fees must be paid by certified check, bank check, or money order made payable to the “Borough of Somerset.”

All appeals shall be addressed as follows:

5. Choose from the following forms to submit your RTK request: