All public records of the commission are deemed to be available for public inspection and copying pursuant to these rules, except as otherwise provided by RCW 42.17.310 and subsection (5) of this section.

(1) Public records officer. The commission's public records shall be in charge of the executive secretary who shall be responsible for the following: The implementation of the commission's rules and regulations regarding release of public records, coordinating the staff of the commission in this regard, and generally insuring compliance by the staff with the public records disclosure requirements of chapter 42.17 RCW.

(2) Office hours. Public records shall be available for inspection and copying during the customary office hours of the commission. For the purposes of this chapter, the customary office hours shall be from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.

(3) Requests for public records. In accordance with requirements of chapter 42.17 RCW that agencies prevent unreasonable invasions of privacy, protect public records from damage or disorganization, and prevent excessive interference with essential functions of the agency, public records may be inspected or copied or copies of such records may be obtained, by members of the public, upon compliance with the following procedures:

(a) A request shall be made in writing. The request shall be presented to the executive secretary or to any member of the commission's staff, if the executive secretary is not available, at the office of the commission during customary office hours. The request shall include the following information:

(i) The name, address, and organization represented, if any, of the person requesting the record;

(ii) The time of day and calendar date on which the request was made;

(iii) The nature of the request.

(b) In all cases in which a member of the public is making a request, it shall be the obligation of the executive secretary or staff member to whom the request is made to assist the member of the public in appropriately identifying the public record requested.

(4) Copying. No fee shall be charged for the inspection of public records. The commission shall charge a fee of twenty-five cents per page of copy plus necessary postage for providing copies of public records and for use of the commission's copy equipment. This charge is the amount necessary to reimburse the agency for its actual costs incident to such copying.

(5) Exemptions.

(a) The commission reserves the right to determine that a public record requested in accordance with the procedures outlined in this section is exempt under the provisions of RCW 1.08.027 or 42.17.310.

(b) In addition, pursuant to RCW 42.17.260(1), the commission reserves the right to delete identifying details when it makes available or publishes any public record, in any cases where there is reason to believe that disclosure of such details would be an invasion of personal privacy protected by chapter 42.17 RCW. The executive secretary will fully justify such deletion in writing.

(c) All denials of requests for public records must be accompanied by a written statement specifying the reason for the denial, including a statement of the specific exemption authorizing the withholding of the record and a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the records withheld.

(6) Review of denials of public records request.

(a) Any person who objects to the denial of a request for a public record may petition for prompt review of such decision by tendering a written request for review. The written request shall specifically refer to the written statement by the executive secretary or other staff member which constituted or accompanied the denial.

(b) Immediately after receiving a written request for review of a decision denying a public record, the executive secretary or other staff member denying the request shall refer it to the executive committee who shall immediately consider the matter and either affirm or reverse such denial. The request shall be returned with a final decision, within five business days following the original denial.

(c) Administrative remedies shall not be considered exhausted until the commission has returned the petition with a decision or until the close of the fifth business day following denial of inspection, whichever occurs first.

(7) Protection of public records.

(a) No person shall knowingly alter, deface, or destroy public records of the commission.

(b) Original copies of public records of the commission shall not be removed from the offices of the commission.

(c) Care and safekeeping of public records of the commission furnished pursuant to a request for inspection or copying, shall be the sole responsibility of the requestor.

(d) Records furnished for public inspection or copying shall be returned in good condition and in the same file sequence or organization as when furnished.

(8) Communications with the commission. All communications with the commission including but not limited to the submission of materials pertaining to its operations and/or the administration or enforcement of chapter 42.17 RCW and these rules; requests for copies of the commission's rules and other matters, shall be addressed as follows: Washington Centennial Commission c/o Executive Secretary, Mailstop KL-12, Olympia, WA 98504.