Title
Consider adopting a Resolution to:
a. Approve the revised Records Retention Schedule for Resource Management Agency (RMA). Planning for the storage and/or destruction of County records as set forth by federal and state laws, county codes, and policies; and
b. Authorize the Director of RMA-Planning or his or her designee to destroy or cause the destruction of County records in accordance with the approved Records Retention Schedule for Resource Management Agency (RMA) Planning.
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt a Resolution to:
a. Approve the revised Records Retention Schedule for Resource Management Agency (RMA) Planning for the storage and/or destruction of County records as set forth by federal and state laws, county codes, and policies; and
b. Authorize the Director of RMA-Planning or his or her designee to destroy or cause the destruction of County records in accordance with the approved Records Retention Schedule for Resource Management Agency (RMA) Planning.
SUMMARY:
The Board of Supervisors adopted the Records Retention Schedule for RMA-Planning on August 26, 2014. The revised Records Retention Schedule addresses the storage, preservation, and destruction of land use records for additional land use record types that were not addressed in the previous policy and revises the justification for records that are retained permanently.
DISCUSSION:
RMA-Planning produces land use records for discretionary and minor permits. In Fiscal Year 14-15, RMA Planning processed 1,041 projects to final decision. Currently, RMA-Planning records occupy over six thousand cubic feet in the County’s Records Retention Center, as well as valuable work space in the Government Center. The timely scanning, shredding and recycling of these materials would reduce storage costs, allow easier access to records by the public and improve the efficient management of RMA-Planning records.
The Board of Supervisors adopted a records retention schedule for RMA-Planning on August 26, 2014 to address the retention of specific land use records contained within departmental files. Other general departmental records will be retained in accordance with the County’s Cross Departmental Records Retention Schedule. The revised Records Retention Schedule addresses the storage, preservation, and destruction of additional land use record types that were not addressed in the previous schedule. Those record types are Archaeological Report Waivers, Certificates of Compliance, Fee Refund Forms, Fee Waivers, Voided Projects, and Withdrawn Projects.
The Records Retention Schedule outlines retention periods for maintaining documents in our office prior to destruction or transfer to the Records Retention Center, as well as retention periods for documents preserved in electronic format. Some documents will be retained permanently. Permanent retention, as defined in the County’s Records Management Policy, applies to records where there is no termination or end point to the value of maintaining the records, and that they or their appropriate surrogate are intended to be available indefinitely. Some documents are preserved due to their legal and informational value for future reference. Once an effective scanning and archival electronic storage program is in place, RMA-Planning will return to the Board with an updated policy to address permanent storage of records in electronic format only.
The revised RMA-Planning Records Retention Schedule reflects state laws, as well as county codes and policies. Because Government Code Section 26200 et seq. requires that the Board of Supervisors authorize the destruction or disposition of records, RMA-Planning is recommending that the Board approve the revised RMA-Planning Records Retention Schedule.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed the revised RMA-Planning Records Retention Schedule.
FINANCING:
There is no immediate impact to the General Fund; however, future impacts may be realized in the form of cost savings for document storage and retrieval.
Prepared by: Laura Lawrence, RMA Services Manager ext. 5148
Approved by: Mike Novo, Director, RMA-Planning, ext. 5192
Carl P. Holm, Director Resource Management Agency, ext. 5103
This report was reviewed by Mike Novo.
cc: Front Counter Copy; Laura Lawrence, RMA Services Manager; The Open Monterey Project (Molly Erickson); LandWatch (Amy White); John H. Farrow; Janet Brennan; Project File REF150087
The following attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment A Draft Resolution
Attachment B RMA-Planning Records Retention Schedule