Attachment 2
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
TITLE: Records Management Program
POLICY NUMBER:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
PAGES: 2
ENABLING ACTIONS:
REVISED DATES:
APPROVED:
PURPOSE
This policy recognizes that a Records Management Program improves customer service,
increases staff efficiency, better allocates scarce resources, and provides a legal foundation
for how our Town conducts its daily mission. An effective Records Management Program will
establish administrative 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. The Program
also ensures that a responsible program of records management is practiced within the Town
organization, serving the best interest of the Town and its community.
POLICY
It is the policy of the Town to effectively manage information and records created or received
in all Town offices. To implement this policy a Records Management Program shall be
established and overseen by the Town Managers Office and Town Attorney . For purposes of
this Policy, a “record” means any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the
Town’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by the Town regardless of physical form
or characteristics.
Further, it is the policy of the Town to recognize the use of electronic data and, as such,
acknowledge those records (or conversion) as “official records”, provided appropriate
administrative procedures are adopted for the creation, management, and storage of electronic
documents. The records management program shall adhere to California Government Code
Sections 34090 and 34090.5 and all other applicable code sections and statutes concerning the
creation, maintenance, and disposal of municipal government records and applies to all
elements of this Program. All administrative procedures issued as part of the Records
Management Program are applicable to all organizational elements of the Town including, but
not limited to; Town Departments, Council, Committees, and Commission s. All public records
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ATTACHMENT 2
TITLE: Records Management Program
PAGE:
2 of 2
POLICY NUMBER:
are deemed the property of the Town and shall be delivered by outgoing officials and
employees to their successors.
OBJECTIVES
It is the intent of this policy that the Records Management Program shall develop
administrative procedures for records management which encompass the following:
Document fully the policies, decisions, and transactions of the Town ;
Provide public access to and protect the public's right to inspect public records in
accordance with the California Public Records Act;
Preserve records with long-term or permanent value;
Protect records vital to Town government in the event of a disaster;
Protect records essential to Town government, but which are referenced infrequently;
Demonstrate compliance with legal retention requirements established by federal,
state, and local authorities;
Retire and destroy records no longer required by statute to be retained or needed for
reference;
Eliminate duplicate records filed in several departments;
Ensure proper administration of records not subject to disclosure;
Provide protection in litigation, audits, and other disputes;
Save physical space; and
Increase efficiency in information retrieval.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Robert Schultz, Town Attorney