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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
DATE: JULY 15, 2025
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
SUBJECT: CITYWIDE AND DEPARTMENT RECORDS RETENTION
SCHEDULES UPDATE
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM # 14
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: NO
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council, by Resolution, update and adopt the revised Citywide and Department Records Retention Schedules.
DISCUSSION:
Anaheim Municipal Code Section 1.10.010 authorizes the City Clerk to establish and administer a City Records Management Program and as such, outlines that any program shall include, at least, a systematic plan to preserve and keep in order all records of the city as required by law or as required for the conduct of city business. In 2013, the City Clerk’s Office initiated a citywide records management project, which included the adoption of new Citywide and Department Records Retention Schedules which established the disposition of all City records according to City, County, State, and Federal laws/regulations, as well as departmental requirements. In 2015, updates were made to the three (3) departmental record retention schedules (City Clerk, Planning & Building and Police Department).
Since 2015, there have been many changes in legislation and departmental requirements that required an extensive review of the City’s retention schedules to include new mandated records; removal of obsolete records’ series; merging of records’ series; incorporation of additional or renamed departments, and updates to the schedules to reflect changes in City, County, State, and federal laws and regulations. To ensure consistent citywide record keeping, minimize potential risks and liability, and apply efficient and economical methods to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation, and disposal of all records managed by the City, the services of Gladwell Governmental Services, Inc. (Gladwell), an expert in local government records, was retained to assist in a thorough review of the City’s current Citywide Retention Schedule.
The City Clerk's Office met with all departments and reviewed applicable legal and regulatory retention requirements and revised the retention schedules, in collaboration with Gladwell and the City Attorney’s Office. The schedules presented to Council for approval have been approved by each department, the City Clerk and City Attorney's City Wide Records Retention Schedule Update
July 15, 2025
Office; all have concurred that the recommended periods and records series satisfy the legal, administrative and practical requirements for each department. The schedules’ “Authority” columns provide the specific citations for records and retention requirements listed in the Anaheim Municipal Code, State of California Codes, Government Codes and/or federal regulations concerning the record type.
Staff recommends approval of the Revised Citywide and Department Records Retention Schedules to ensure consistency with city business practices, departmental requirements, and changing laws.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
There is no budgetary impact.
Respectfully submitted,
Theresa Bass
City Clerk
Attachments:
1. Resolution
2. Exhibit A – Citywide and Department Record Retention Schedules
3. Citywide and Department Record Retention Schedules – Redline