Report Prepared by: John Tresidder, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk's Office
Title
SUBJECT: Adoption of Resolution Updating the Citywide Records Management Program and Retention Schedule
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers an update to the Citywide Records Management and Retention documents.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion adopting Resolution 2019-05, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, Adopting a City-Wide Records Management Program and Records Retention Schedules, and Repealing Resolution 2010-84
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Adopt the Resolution as recommended by staff; or,
2. Provide specific direction and refer back to staff for reconsideration; or,
3. Deny
AUTHORITY
Government Code Sections 34090, 34090.5, 34090.7
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As it applies to government transparency.
DISCUSSION
A Records Management Program is a guide to the functioning of the records management system. It protects and preserves the City's records. The program contains basic guidelines to be used in the retention, maintenance, and disposition of City records. Close adherence to these procedures will enable the city to achieve the three key benefits of a successful records management program. These benefits include:
1. The orderly retirement or destruction of documents no longer needed.
2. A reduction in file equipment, thus increasing the amount of space available for other purposes and decreased expense in the purchase of future filing equipment
3. More efficient retrieval of information from active files within the departments.
In 1968, the legislature passed the California Public Records Act, Government Code Section 6250 et seq., which is modeled after the Freedom of Information Act and details what government information is, and is not, available to the public. In general, all records are open to the public except certain exemption categories listed in the California Public Records Act. The California Public Records Act ap...
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