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Staff Report PREPARED BY: Arn Andrews Assistant Town Manager Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 08/01/2017 ITEM NO: 12 DATE: JULY 14, 2017 TO: TOWN COUNCIL FROM: TOWN COUNCIL POLICY COMMITTEE SUBJECT: RECOMMEND THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL ADOPT A RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM POLICY RECOMMENDATION: The Policy Committee recommends that the Town Council adopt a Records Management Program Policy. BACKGROUND: The Town’s legislative record illustrates that previous Councils have embraced the importance of establishing a policy of best practices in record retention management. In 2009, Town Council adopted resolution 2009-037, which among other things stipulated that all previous record related resolutions be rescinded, including resolution 1990-22 (Attachment 1). Resolution 1990-22 included “Attachment B” or a Records Management Policy. Since no current records management policy exists, staff believes it is appropriate to reinstate a Records Management Program Policy. In addition, due to the proliferation of electronic data, staff believes it is appropriate to explicitly acknowledge those records (or conversion) as “official records”, provided appropriate administrative procedures are adopted for the creation, management, and storage of electronic documents. DISCUSSION: On June 26, 2017, the Policy Committee reviewed a staff recommendation to adopt a Records Management Program Policy (see Attachment 2). Committee members provided comments and suggested edits to the staff recommendation which have been incorporated into the PAGE 2 OF 2 SUBJECT: RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM POLICY DATE JULY 14, 2017 S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2017\08-01-17\Retention Policy\Staff Report Final.docx 7/27/2017 9:23 AM SLL proposed Policy. The purpose for records management is to ensure that information is available when it is needed. To do this efficiently and thoroughly, records must be identified, organized, maintained (for the requisite number of years), and then documented when destroyed or archived. Records management encompasses all the record-keeping requirements that allow the Town to establish and maintain control over information flow and administrative operations through the entirety of their life cycle. Best practices in record management programs seek to establish policies and procedures for the efficient and economical management of the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation, and disposal of Town records, based on federal and state statutes governing public records. In order to ensure best practices staff has developed administrative record management procedures which will be updated, as necessary, to reflect the current legal landscape, current technologies, and continual best practices. CONCLUSION: Adoption of the Records Management Program Policy would establish that best practices in records management is good governance and serves the best interests of the Town and its citizens. COORDINATION: This memorandum was prepared in coordination with the Town Attorney’s Office and the Town Clerk. FISCAL IMPACT: None Attachments: 1. Resolution 2009-037 2. Draft Records Management Program Policy