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SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE: June 3, 2009 AGENDA ITEM:
DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson
PREPARED BY: Curtis Boone DIRECTOR: Barbara Powell
Records Management Intern Assistant City Manager
Richard Taylor
City Attorney
SUBJECT: Approval of New City of Saratoga Records Retention Schedule
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Accept report and approve the new records retention schedule.
BACKGROUND:
In the early 1980’s the City hired a consultant to create a records management program and
retention schedule. Since then, the records retention schedule has not been updated to
accommodate changes in the types of records and documents created by the City. This has
necessitated that a new retention schedule be developed to more accurately depict the current
status of the City’s records. As a result, the periodic destruction of old records has been put on
hold, and a new retention schedule is being presented to the Council for approval to ensure
compliance with the State’s laws relating to public records.
In creating this new retention schedule, staff reviewed the best practices of other California
government agencies and incorporated information from each of the City’s Departments. Input
and review was received from Office Specialists, Department Heads, the City Clerk, and the City
Manager, and other employees with specific oversight of programs or with an understanding of a
division’s processes for handling records. The compiled list of records was then reviewed by the
City Attorney to verify and update the legal citations and official retention requirements.
If approved, the updated retention schedule will ensure the City is in compliance with State
records retention requirements. Additionally, adoption of the retention schedule will allow the
City to begin the process of destroying long-expired documents that are no longer relevant to the
City’s operations. Destruction of any City record will subsequently require City Council approval.
The records retention schedule is a key component of the City’s records management plan. The
overall plan development is in-process and should be ready for City council consideration later
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this summer. Once adopted, the plan will help increase government transparency by improving the
City’s ability to respond to Public Records Act requests.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
N/A
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
The City will continue to rely on the outdated retention schedule that does not encompass many
records that have been generated since it was created in the 1980’s. Consequently, expired
records will continue to accumulate, and staff will be unable to continue development of a records
management plan.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
N/A
FOLLOW UP ACTION(S):
Process expired records for destruction, following Council approval. Develop records
management plan.
ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT:
Nothing additional.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Proposed City of Saratoga Records Retention Schedule
Attachment B: Proposed City of Saratoga Records Retention Schedule Legend