Public Records Notice

Public Records Notice


The County Clerk's office serves as the hub of County government and is responsible for County Board records:
  • Financial and budget information
  • Insurance
  • Licensing
  • Personnel
  • Payroll and benefit information
  • Election records
The County Clerk shall act as the records custodian for the County Board, the County departments, and their corresponding committees created to carry out the operations of the County. The Sawyer County Sheriff's Department and Sawyer County Health and Human Services Department shall create separate Public Records Policies and shall post Public Records Notices unique to their respective departments.

All records of Sawyer County are open to the public unless otherwise provided by specific state or federal law or the balance test. The balancing test balances the public interest in disclosure of the record against the public interest favoring nondisclosure. Balancing factors to be considered may include, but are not limited to, evidentiary privileges; privacy and reputation interests; and the reasons Closed Sessions are allowed as described in Wisconsin State Statute 19.85 (1)(c) which include quasi-judicial deliberations; meetings considering probation or parole or strategies for crime detection or prevention; public business involving investments, competitive factors, or negotiations; consideration or investigation into sensitive or private matters which would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person referred to; and legal advice as to pending or probable litigation.

Patrons

For the purposes of this Sawyer County Public Records Policy, Local Public Office positions include the County Elected Officials and Department Heads, to include the Clerk of Circuit Court, County Clerk, County Coroner, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, Zoning Administrator, Child Support Director, Veterans Service Officer, County Forest Administrator, Ambulance/Emergency Government Administrator, Maintenance/Custodial Supervisor, Information Technology Director, Land Records Director, County Surveyor, County Conservationist, Highway Commissioner, and Health and Human Services Director.

Dates & Places at Which Public Records May Be Obtained


The public may obtain information and access to records by making requests either in writing or in person to the County Clerk:
  • Sawyer County Courthouse
    10610 Main Street, Suite 10
    Hayward, WI  54843
    Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
    Monday - Friday, holidays excluded
  • phone: 715-634-4866 email: county.clerk@sawyercountygov.org

If the County Clerk is not present, information and access to records may be obtained from one of the Deputy County Clerks, who are authorized to act as legal custodians in the County Clerk’s absence. Records of a routine nature are often available directly from the various county departments which create, store or use the documents.  When a question arises as to whether access to a record should be restricted or limited, the request shall be referred to the official Records Custodian, the County Clerk, as described above. 

The request should be specific as to the record or information desired.  The County shall not be required to create a new record in response to a public request for information.