Terms of Use

About this site

The Kalamazoo Transparency Act (kalamazootransparencyact.com) is a civic transparency project that files public records requests under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231 through 15.246) and publishes the results. By using this site, you agree to the following terms.

Use of content

All public records data published on this site was obtained through lawful FOIA requests and is in the public domain. You are free to use, share, reproduce, and build upon this data for any lawful purpose. Attribution to the Kalamazoo Transparency Act is appreciated but not required.

Public data API

The public data API is provided free of charge. By using the API, you agree to the following:

• Respect the rate limit of 60 requests per minute per IP address.
• Do not attempt to circumvent rate limiting through IP rotation or other means.
• Do not use the API in a way that degrades service for other users.
• Do not misrepresent the source of data obtained through the API.

We reserve the right to block access to the API for any user who violates these terms. The API is provided as is, with no guarantee of uptime or availability.

Accuracy

We publish data exactly as we receive it from public agencies. We do not alter, editorialize, or selectively omit records. That said, we cannot guarantee that the data provided by agencies is complete or error free. If you believe any data on this site is inaccurate, please contact us and we will investigate.

Not legal advice

The information on this site about Michigan FOIA and your rights under it is provided for educational purposes. It is not legal advice. If you need legal counsel regarding a FOIA dispute or any other matter, consult a licensed attorney.

No affiliation

The Kalamazoo Transparency Act is an independent civic project. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any government agency, political party, or elected official in Kalamazoo County or the State of Michigan.

Limitation of liability

This site and the public data API are provided as is, without warranty of any kind. We are not liable for any damages arising from the use of this site, the data published here, or the API. This includes but is not limited to decisions made based on the data, interruptions to API service, or errors in data provided by public agencies.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The updated version will be posted here with a new “last updated” date. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Contact

Questions about these terms can be sent to contact@kalamazootransparencyact.com