Public Information Request (PIR)

Welcome to the City of McAllen’ Open Records Request Online Portal!

The service will increase citizen access to public information while allowing the City the ability to meet and exceed all state Open Records compliance rules. With the Open Records Center, individuals go to one central location on the City’s website to submit an Open Records request. Requesters have the ability to log into the Open Records Center to track the status of requests, communicate with the City, and pick up the requested documents.

If you prefer to mail, email, fax or hand deliver your open records request, please use the following information below.

By mail to:
Perla Lara, Public Information Specialist
City of McAllen, City Secretary Department
P. O. Box 220, McAllen, Texas 78505‐0220
By e‐mail to: pir@mcallen.net
By fax to: (956) 681‐1029
In person at:
McAllen City Hall, City Secretary’s Office (2nd Floor)
1300 Houston Ave
McAllen, Texas

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL OPEN RECORDS REQUEST

A public information request must be in writing. A governmental body is not required to answer questions, perform legal research, or create new information in response to your public information request.

Providing as much information as possible within your request will allow departments to complete your request more efficiently. Information such as: name, address, date range, and subject matter.

The City of McAllen may collect a fee as prescribed by law or regulation for the requested documents. If a fee is not prescribed by law or regulation the fee shall be the actual cost of searching or duplicating the record.

DISCLAIMER: A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND ALL RESPONSES BY THE CITY DO NOT CREATE AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP NOR IS ANY SUCH RELATIONSHIP INTENDED. The city will make a good-faith effort to relate the request to any responsive information within its possession or control as of the date the request was received. Nothing in the city’s response to a public information request constitutes a legal opinion or professional advice on any matter and the city makes no warranty or representation of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, usefulness or timeliness of the information. The city does not accept responsibility or liability for any mistakes, errors, or omissions and the use any information in response to a request for information is at the recipient’s own risk. Any information provided is not intended to be a substitute for title insurance, professional advice or an independent attorney’s evaluation and legal opinion. The signor of any correspondence in response to a request for information expresses no legal opinion as to title, tax, zoning, or survey of any real property.

For additional Open Government resources, visit the website of the Attorney General of Texas.

Public Information Act - 2023

Public Information Request Form Fillable