Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: February 29, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Kristy Buxkemper, City Clerk
Subject: Citywide Records Retention Schedule Update
BACKGROUND
The City is currently in the process of upgrading its records management program, including the citywide records retention schedule and applicable policies. The retention schedule was last updated in 2019 and required significant revisions to ensure the City is meeting all current legal requirements, as well as to address retention citations to support the focus on digitizing records and guide electronic records management.
In fall of 2023, an informal RFP was conducted and Gladwell Governmental Services, Inc., was selected due to their expertise in local government records and ability to assist the City with needed updates to support a records management program overhaul. Revisions were necessary to bring the City’s Retention Schedule up to date and compliant with record management laws, requirements, and best practices.
The consultant met with representatives from each division and interactively reviewed department records and helped create a retention schedule completely customized to the City’s needs. Following those meetings, the schedule was sent to all Department Heads, and the City Manager and City Attorney for additional review and approval.
DISCUSSION
The updated Retention Schedule will serve as a critical foundation to support retention policy and procedures and will help guide staff throughout the City’s digitization efforts. It will also help to reduce current and future records storage costs, eliminate duplicative effort, increase efficiency, and will take advantage of current technology and changes in law.
The upgrade of the current records management systems is driven by many factors, including:
•Digitization of records and increased electronic retention
Citywide Records Retention Schedule Update
February 29, 2024
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•Reduce physical records and provide additional space in City facilities •Reduce departments filing and storing copies of the same records •Efficient management of permanent records and records of lasting value •Reduce/Eliminate records storage expenses
•Include technology advancements
•Provide a foundation for increased records management training for all staff •Address changes in law
The purpose of the program is to apply efficient and economical methods to the creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation, and disposal of all records managed by the City. The retention periods included in the revised Retention Schedule are in compliance with all laws and are standard business practice for California cities.
It is standard business practice for California cities to authorize the routine destruction of records which have exceeded their adopted retention period. Records can be properly disposed of upon the request of the Department’s and with the written consent of the Department Head, City Clerk and City Attorney, which is provided for in Section 2 of the resolution. This process helps reduce liability, provides a multi-level review, protects and safeguards City records, and follows an industry approved method to ensure the proper disposition of records.
The new retention schedules provide clear, specific records descriptions and retention periods, and apply current law and technology to the management of City records. By establishing clear retention periods for different categories of records, the City will realize significant savings in labor costs, storage costs, free filing cabinet and office space, and increase operational efficiencies. The schedule will serve as the foundation for the City’s new records repository and will be the guide for all staff to properly identify and manage department records.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no budget impact as a result of this action.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution approving and adopting the Citywide Records Retention Schedule.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Citywide Records Retention Schedule
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None