City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MARCH 25, 2025 FROM: CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE
ISSUE:
Adopt a resolution adopting the Records Retention Schedule Citywide Standards for all City departments, authorizing the destruction of certain City records, and repealing Resolution No. 23548.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council adopt a Resolution adopting the Records Retention Schedule: Citywide Standards for all City departments, authorizing the destruction of certain City records, and repealing Resolution No. 23548 BACKGROUND:
On June 11, 2024, the City Clerk’s Office entered into a Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Gladwell Governmental Services to conduct a Records Retention Program Assessment. The new retention schedules were written in collaboration with representatives from all departments who provided clear, specific record descriptions.
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. By identifying which department is responsible for maintaining the original record, and by establishing clear retention periods for different categories of records, the City will incur significant savings in labor costs, storage costs, and enhance operational efficiencies.
It is standard business practice for California cities to authorize the routine destruction of records that have exceeded their adopted retention period. Prior to destruction of any record, the Department Head, City Clerk, and City Attorney review the list of records proposed for destruction for compliance with the Records Retention Schedule and consult the City Archivist for records of historical significance.
It is also standard business practice for California cities to authorize updates to the schedule without further action of the City Council. Records, regardless of media type (paper, email, photographs, video, electronic data base, etc.), will be maintained in accordance with the adopted retention schedules. Periodically, City departments or divisions will propose revisions to the retention schedule to comply with changes in legislation governing retention of certain records, add new records titles, delete obsolete record titles, or accommodate a change in the City's departmental and divisional structure. This will reduce costs and improve efficiency for the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with adoption of this resolution and approval of the retention schedules. Costs for storage and destruction of records are included annually in the City Clerk’s Office Budget.
Prepared by: Carmen Soto, Records Manager Approved by: Donesia Gause, City Clerk
Certified as to
Availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved as to form: Jack Liu, Interim City Attorney
Attachments:
Resolution
Record Retention Schedules
Records Retention SchedulePage 2