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record related resolutions be rescinded, including resolution 1990-22 (Attachment 1).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
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SUBJECT: RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM POLICY
DATE JULY 14, 2017
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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