Privacy Policy.

Effective Date: August 1, 2025

The City of Arcadia, Iowa is committed to protecting the privacy of its website visitors. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect information gathered through our official website, cityofarcadiaiowa.org (the "Website"). By using this Website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information to better serve the residents and visitors of Arcadia. The types of information we may collect include:

Information Collected Automatically (via Squarespace and Cookies):

When you visit our Website, our Squarespace platform automatically collects certain information about your device and your activity. This information is primarily used for site analytics, to ensure the Website functions correctly, and to improve user experience. This may include:

Your IP address
Information about your browser, network, and device (e.g., device type, operating system)
Web pages you visited prior to coming to our Website
Web pages you view while on our Website (e.g., clicks, internal links, pages visited, scrolling, searches, timestamps)
Cookies: The Website uses cookies, which are small text files placed on your device. These cookies are used to help us understand how visitors interact with our site, remember user preferences, and for the overall functionality of the Squarespace platform. You can configure your web browser to refuse cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. However, some parts of the Website may not function properly if you disable cookies.

Information You Voluntarily Provide:

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you fill out contact forms on our Website. This information may include your name, email address, and phone number, along with any messages or inquiries you submit.

Please note that while the Website provides a downloadable form for direct debit of utilities, it does not process online submissions or payments. Any information submitted via downloaded forms is handled offline according to city procedures.

2. How We Use Your Information

The City of Arcadia uses the collected information for the following purposes:

To operate and maintain the Website: Ensuring the Website functions correctly and efficiently.

To improve Website content and user experience: Analyzing usage patterns to enhance navigation, content relevance, and overall design.

To respond to your inquiries and requests: If you contact us through a form, we will use your information to address your specific needs and provide you with requested information.

For government business and law enforcement: The City reserves the right to use information collected, or to reach out to users, in connection with official government business, including, but not limited to, responding to public information requests (subject to Iowa Code Chapter 22), legal obligations, court orders, or legitimate law enforcement inquiries. The legal basis for processing your data is primarily based on your consent when you provide it via forms, or when necessary for the performance of a public task, legal obligation, or under the direction of legal advice or law enforcement.

3. Disclosure of Information

The City of Arcadia, Iowa will not sell or rent any personally identifiable user information collected through this Website to third parties.

However, we may disclose information in the following circumstances:

Third-Party Service Providers (Squarespace): Our Website is built on the Squarespace platform. Squarespace, as our third-party hosting provider, collects and processes certain data as necessary to operate the Website and provide its services. We encourage you to review Squarespace's Privacy Policy (available at squarespace.com/privacy) for more information on their data practices.

Other Third-Party Integrations: We use Google Maps to provide location-based information, and social media widgets are embedded on our site to facilitate sharing and interaction. These third parties may collect data according to their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of Google (for Maps) and the respective social media platforms for details on their data handling practices.

As Required by Law: Information collected by the City is subject to the provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 22 (Examination of Public Records) and other applicable state and federal laws regarding public information. This means that certain information provided to the City may be accessible to the public upon request, unless otherwise protected by law. We may also disclose information if required by court order, subpoena, or other legal process.

Law Enforcement: We may share information with law enforcement agencies or other governmental bodies if we have a good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, or as otherwise required by law.

4. Data Retention

The City of Arcadia will retain personal information collected via contact forms on this Website for a minimum of seven (7) years from the date of collection, or as otherwise required by Iowa state law, federal law, or city record retention schedules.

5. Data Security

The City of Arcadia employs reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect the information collected through the Website against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. However, no internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Links to Other Websites

This Website may contain links to other websites that are not owned or controlled by the City of Arcadia. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such other websites. We encourage you to be aware when you leave our Website and to read the privacy policies of any other site that collects personally identifiable information.

7. Children's Privacy

This Website is intended for a general audience and is not specifically targeted at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently received personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information from our records.

8. Your Rights

Under Iowa law (Iowa Code Chapter 22), many government records are public. If you have provided personal information to the City of Arcadia through this Website, and it is part of a public record, you may have rights regarding access to or correction of that information as permitted by law.

To inquire about personal information we may hold about you or to request corrections, please contact our designated privacy contact person.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

The City of Arcadia may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will post any changes on this page with an updated "Effective Date." We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact:

Julie Schroeder
City of Arcadia, Iowa
Email: cityofarcadia@gmail.com