Administrative
Report
N.1., File # 22-5174 Meeting Date: 1/3/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ELEANOR MANZANO, CITY CLERK
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION PERTAINING TO THE ADOPTION OF AN UPDATED
RECORDS RETENTION POLICY FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF CERTAIN CITY RECORDS AND
RETENTION SCHEDULES
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. CC-2301-001, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA ADOPTING A RECORDS RETENTION POLICY FOR THE
DESTRUCTION OF CERTAIN CITY RECORDS AND RETENTION SCHEDULES AND
RESCINDING ALL PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City is continuing to develop its records management program, including revising the Records Retention Schedules for each department. The adoption of these revised retention schedules will result in efficiency gains and cost savings, and enables the City Clerk’s Office to work with the City Attorney, City Manager, and Department Heads to regularly (annually) update retention schedules administratively going forward.
Key Update Highlights
Email retention has been updated to reflect 2 years minimum retention (from the previous 30 days) pursuant to providing City email accounts to appointed Board Members and Commissioners. This enables internal database search capability and retrieval when responding to public records requests. The retention period for Video and Audio Recordings of City public meetings has been increased from 4 to 20 years due to the ability to store digitally long term and popularity for public and inter-department reference.
Upon review and approval of the Resolution Exhibit A redlines, the Exhibit will be finalized and incorporated into the adopted Resolution.
BACKGROUND
In 2002, Redondo Beach selected Gladwell Governmental Services, Inc., (Gladwell) an expert in local government records, to develop records retention schedules for the City. This update is necessary to comply with legal changes since then, reduce current and future records storage costs, eliminate duplication of effort, increase efficiency and take advantage of current technology and
N.1., File # 22-5174 Meeting Date: 1/3/2023
eliminate duplication of effort, increase efficiency and take advantage of current technology and business practices.
Over the course of the last several months, the City Clerk’s Office conferred with each City Department to thoroughly review and update each of the updated schedules produced by Gladwell and were updated in preparation for Council approval.
The records retention schedules ensure important records are properly retained (providing clear responsibilities of what department is retaining the original record for its retention period), and unnecessary records are destroyed in compliance with legal requirements.
Many cities are approving changes to records retention schedules administratively, and the resolution that we are presenting to City Council includes this provision. Changes would only be effective after the written consent of the Department Head, City Clerk, City Manager, and City Attorney. To improve efficiencies and regular updates, the City Clerk’s Office, with the assistance of Gladwell Governmental Services, Inc. will work with the City Departments’ annually to review and approve retention schedule updates that reflect new or revised legislation, identify new records series that are not currently included, improve descriptions of records and like improvements to ensure the Records Retention schedules reflect the current legal requirements and best practices of other cities.
Litigation Holds and other types of Holds
Any records series that are subject to a retention hold due to pending litigation identified by the City Attorney’s office will be retained and not processed for destruction until such litigation is resolved.
On every page of the schedules (near the top, just under the column headings) are important instructions, including instructions regarding holds on destroying records. “Litigation, complaints, claims, public records act requests, audits and/or investigations suspend normal retention periods (retention resumes after settlement or completion).”
COORDINATION
City Clerk staff has conferred with all City Departments for the preparation of this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
Redondo Beach will realize significant savings both in labor and storage expenses; including the avoidance of future storage and/or construction costs.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution No. CC-2301-001
Retention Schedules (Exhibit A) Redlines