AGENDA ITEM
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CARLO TOMAINO
CITY MANAGER
BY: KIMBERLY BOLES
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
SUBJECT:
title
RESOLUTION APPROVING A REVISED RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND ADOPTING A REVISED RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE FOR THE RETENTION AND DESTRUCTION OF OBSOLETE RECORDS
summary
Summary:
The City last amended its Records Management Program (Program) in 2001. Staff worked with the City Attorney to revise the Program, updating the language and moving towards digitizing records. Additionally, staff recently completed the annual review of the Records Retention Schedule (Schedule). Staff submitted proposed Schedule changes to the City Clerk and the City Attorney. Staff is now presenting the updated Schedule to the City Council for approval; the proposed action would amend the Schedule for the Personnel and Police Departments.
Strategic Plan Goal(s):
Goal No. 5 High-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication, recruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of City services.
recommendation
Recommendation:
Adopt a resolution, entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A REVISED RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND ADOPTING AN AMENDED RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE FOR THE RETENTION AND DESTRUCTION OF OBSOLETE RECORDS
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Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Background and Analysis:
Records Management Program
The City Clerk is the custodian of records for the City and oversees the Program. In compliance with laws and regulations, the City Clerk works closely with the City Attorney’s Office to develop the Program. Initially established by the City in 1988 and amended in 2001, the Program requires each City Department to review its retention schedule and work with the City Clerk to identify amendments. The revised Program establishes and contains orderly procedures for retaining active and inactive City records and disposing of records when these are no longer needed for administrative, fiscal, historical, or legal purposes. These procedures promote the efficient and cost-effective conduct of the City’s business by reducing the number of records in active file areas, eliminating unnecessary retention of duplicate or obsolete documents, and providing for timely transfer of inactive records to off-site storage. As a result, the Program reduces the need for file equipment, thereby increasing the amount of office space available for other purposes.
Records Included in the Program
Staff has included all records from City departments in the Program which encompasses all papers, maps, photographs, and other documentary records made or received by the City in connection with its business. These records are preserved as evidence of the City’s functions, policies, decisions, operations, or other activities, because of the value of the information they contain.
Records Not Included in the Program
• Rough drafts, notes, and working papers assembled in the preparation of other documents that will be preserved as official records
• Extra copies kept for convenience
• Transmittal letters and acknowledgements that do not add any information to the record
• Form letters
• Blank forms
• Notices of employee meetings, retirements, holidays, job opening, etc.
• Requests for supplies
• Hotel and travel reservations
• Materials from outside clubs or organizations
• Sales catalogs and brochures
• Books, pamphlets, manuals, and outside studies and reports
• Newspapers and periodicals
Records Retention Schedule
The Schedule lists, by City department, the record series covered in the Program. A records series, which may include several different types of documents, is a set of records arranged or maintained as a unit because these relate to a single subject or function, result from the same activity, have a similar form, or because of some other circumstance resulting from their creation, receipt, or use. All record series listed are official records, unless these are specifically noted as duplicates. The schedule shows the length of time each record series should be retained in the electronic files, cabinets, or vaults of the office area, the length of time it should be kept in storage, and the minimum length of time that must elapse before the records may be destroyed. The schedule also indicates whether the records are to be scanned to document imaging.
The retention periods shown on the schedule are based on a detailed examination of the records and review by Department Heads and the City Attorney to determine the administrative, legal, vital, or historical value of the records, and on a study of the applicable codes and statutes prescribing retention periods for documents. The City Council reviews and adopts the Records Retention Schedule annually by resolution (Attachment A).
Staff prepared the proposed resolution for City Council’s consideration approving the revised Program and adopting a revised Schedule; there are five proposed amendments to the Schedule, which have been reviewed by the City Attorney.
Personnel
• Change Series 7: Titled Police Department Personnel, Background, Training Files to “Confidential Record.”
Police Department
• Traffic Citation: Change Format from Hard to Electronic;
• Records/Daily Jail Checklist: Change Format from Hard to Electronic;
• Add Felonies Arrest/Report Hard/Electronic Format, Storage in Office File Cabinet, RMS/DI pursuant to 800 PC, 801PC; and
• Add Felonies Except Homicide, Capital Crimes Punishable by Death or Life Imprisonment, Retention Pursuant to 800PC, 801PC.
Conclusion
Staff recommends the City Council adopt the Resolution approving a revised Records Management Program and adopting an amended Records Retention Schedule for the retention and destruction of obsolete records.
Attachments:
A. Resolution
B. Exhibit A - Records Management Program and Records Retention Schedule