Privacy Policy

As part of demonstrating the City of Petaluma's commitment to individual privacy, the City publishes this policy governing any personal, citizen, and business information supplied to the City via its Web site. The City's goal in collecting personal information through its Web site is to provide visitors with the most effective, personalized service possible. The City will protect online information with the same diligence that it protects information obtained through all other means.

E-Mail Addresses
On occasion, the City may request your e-mail address for purposes of correspondence or for City business. The City of Petaluma will not share e-mail addresses with anyone outside the City of Petaluma nor disclose user information to any third party, unless under court order.

Security
This site has security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse, and/or alteration of the information under the City's control.

Other Web Sites
The City's Web page contains links to other sites. The City of Petaluma is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of sites other than Petaluma's.

Log Files
The City of Petaluma does not release information regarding the collection of IP addresses to any third party except under court order. The City of Petaluma Web site archives Web server log files in order to create aggregate statistical reports or detect errors, and for security reasons. These reports do not contain any personally identifiable information. The Web log files are eventually deleted.

Information that we may collect:

GIS services require use of cookies; they are only used for the purposes of the GIS services;

Forms - contact webmaster, Public Works, CDD and the Traffic Complaint - sections use forms to collect personal information. That information is used exclusively in the course of City business and only for the purposes outlined in those forms and the informatoon collected is used only to contact the form-user.

Electronic payments - The City's electronic payment systems (building permits, utility payments, licensing payments, class reservations systems) collect personal information only for the processing of payments - those systems have their own web sites, their own policies and privacy statements. No credit card or financial information is collected by the City of Petaluma during those transactions.

Electronic Newsletters - the City may utilize electronic newsletters through a service, such as the "EAgenda". No personal information is collected by the City for that purpose, other than name/email address. Those systems contain "opt-in" and "opt-out" capabilities.

Job Applications Online. Our web site has a module for accepting job applications online. Data collected by that system is used strictly for the job application process by Human Resources, not for any other purpose. Data collected is routinely removed from our system and not maintained on any web servers.

Direct Mail
The City of Petaluma may use the personal data provided online to distribute information about City services and upcoming civic activities. The City will neither sell nor provide personal information to any third party for any other direct mail activities, unless under court order.

Contacting The City of Petaluma
Questions about this privacy statement, guidelines and standards, or any transaction with the City of Petaluma Web site should be directed to:

IT Manager, City of Petaluma
Department of Information Technology
11 English St.
Petaluma, CA 94952
webmaster@ci.petaluma.ca.us