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Release records and close the request

A record goes to a requester in three steps: find it, approve the exact version to hand over, then release it. Approval is its own step because a document can have an original and several redacted copies, and only the version someone checked should leave the office.

Find the record​

On the request, the release step has a search box labeled Find a document by title or application or case number. Search, then choose Find. Each result shows the document's title, the record it belongs to, and its versions. Chiban remembers your recent searches for each request.

The versions you may see are the Original, a Redacted copy for this request and a Redacted copy for the public. If the original has to be blacked out first, choose Redact for this request under the result. That opens the redaction page already tied to this request. See Redact a document.

Approve the version​

Under the version you want, fill in What you checked before approving and choose Approve. Write what you actually looked at, for example "Read all three pages; the resident's phone number is covered." The statement is kept with the approval.

Approving a version for this request does not publish it anywhere else. If a document is also approved for the public site, the public approval counts for the request too.

Release​

Approved versions wait under Approved, not yet released. When a document has more than one approved version, you choose which one goes out. Fill in:

  • Date released, which starts as today. It cannot be in the future or before the request was received.
  • How: Inspection at the town office, Paper copy, Link sent by email or Email attachment.
  • Email address, for a link, which is required for Link sent by email.

Choose Release 1 record (or however many), then confirm. Once released it cannot be called back, though you can withdraw an approval afterward, as described below.

Each release gets a number and its own letter, Letter for release 1, filed on the request. If the first release is made while the request is still open, it also records the first response. A request can have many releases. Redacted copies add their exemptions to Records withheld or redacted, and a redacted copy cannot be released until every box on it carries an exemption.

Only Link sent by email sends anything. Chiban does not attach files to an email, even when you choose Email attachment. That choice, like the paper and inspection choices, only records how the records went out.

The requester gets an email with a link to a page titled "Records for request RK-2026-0001". It lists each released file to download. Nothing on the page asks the requester to sign in.

The link works for 30 days. After that the page says the link has expired and to ask the land use office for a new one. Chiban has no button to send a fresh link or to reissue one. If the requester needs the records again, send them another way.

Take an approval back​

Under Approved for this request, Revoke approval takes a version off the table. Give a reason of at least 10 characters. A version that has not been released cannot be released until someone approves it again. A version already released through a link is withdrawn on the requester's page, which then says the town withdrew it on that date. Paper and inspection releases cannot be undone this way.

Close the request​

When nothing approved is waiting, the Do this now card offers Close the request. Choose Closed or Withdrawn by the requester under Close it as. The same two choices are under More actions at any time while the request is open. Nothing more can be released on a closed request.