ORD 426 12/11/1990ORDINANCE NO. 426 C of, y
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL 'OF THE CITY OF= CI1301..0,
CREATION OF THIS ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A RECORDS MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM.
WHEREAS, Title 6, Subtitle C, Local Government Code (Local
Government Records Act) provides that a Municipal Government must
establish by ordinance an active and continuing records
management program to be administered by a Records Management
Officer; and
WHEREAS, the City of Cibolo desires to adopt an ordinance for
that purpose and to prescribe policies and procedures consistent
with the Local Government Records Act and in the interests of
cost-effective and efficient recordkeeping; NOW THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL OF CITY OF CIBOLO
SECTION 1. DEFINITION OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT RECORDS. All
documents, papers, letters, books, maps, photographs, sound or
video recordings, microfilm, magnetic tape, electronic media, or
other information recording media, regardless of physical form or
characteristic and regardless of whether public access to it is
open or restricted under the laws of the state, created or
received by City of Cibolo or any of its officers or employees
pursuant to law or in the transaction of public business are
hereby declared to be the records of the City of Cibolo and shall
be created, maintained, and disposed of in accordance with the
provisions of this ordinance or procedures 'authorized by it and
in no other manner.
SECTION 2. ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS. (1) "Department head" means
the officer who by ordinance, order, or administrative policy is
in charge of an office of the City of. Cibolo that creates or
receives records)
(2) "Essential record" means any record- of the City of:
Cibolo necessary to the resumption or continuation of operations
of the City of Cibolo in an emergency or disaster, to the re--
creation of the legal and financial status of the City of Cibolo,
or to the protection and fulfillment of obligations to the people
of the state.
(3) "Permanent record" means any record of the City of
Cibolo for which the retention period on a records control
schedule is given as permanent.
(4) "Records control schedule" means a document prepared by
or under the authority of the Records Management Officer listing
the records maintained by the City of Cibolo, their retention
periods, and other records disposition information that t)ie
records management program may require.
(5) "Records management" means the application of management
techniques to the creation, use, maintenance, retention,
preservation, and disposal of records for the purposes of
reducing the costa and improving the efficiency of. recorc))ceep'inq.
The term includes the development of records control schedule.;,
the management of filing and information retrieval systems, the
protection of essential and permanent records, the economical and
space -effective storage of inactive records, control over tire
creation and distribution of forms, reports, and correspondence,
and the management of micrographics and electronic and other
records storage systems.
(6) "Records liaison officers" means the persons designated
under Section of the ordinance.
(7) "Records management committee" means the committee
established in Section of this ordinance.
(8) "Records management officer" means the person designated
in Section 5 of this ordinance.
(9) "Records management plan" means 'the plan developed under
Section 7 of this ordinance.
(10) "Retention period" means the minimum time that must
pass after the creation, recording, or receipt of a record, or
the fulfillment of certain actions associated with a record,
before it is eligible for destruction.
SECTION 3. MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT RECORDS DECLARED PUBLIC PROPERTY.
All municipal government records as defined in Sec. 1 of this
ordinance are hereby declared to be the property of the City of
Cibolo. No municipal government official nor employee has, by
virtue of his or her position, any personal or property right to
such records even though he or she may have developed or compiled
them. the unauthorized destruction, removal from files, or use
of such records is prohibited.
SECTION 4. POLICY. It is hereby declared to be the policy of
the City of Cibolo to provide for efficient, economical, and
effective control over the creation, distribution, organization,
maintenance, use, and disposition of all municipal government
records through a comprehensive system of integrated procedures
for the management of records from their creation to their
ultimate disposition, consistent with the requirements of the
Texas Local Government Records Act and accepted records
management practice.
SECTION 5.2 DESIGNATION OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER. The
office of City Secretary, and the successive holders of said
office, shall serve as Records Management Officer for the City of.
Cibolo. As provided by state law, each successive holder of the
office shall file his or her, name with the director arid librarian
of the Texas State Library within thirty days of the initial
designation or of taking up the office, as applicable.
SECTION b. ESTABLI-SHMENT OF' RECORDS MANAGEMENT COMMI'T'TEE;
DUTIES.4 A Records Management Committee consisting of the City
Secretary, City Administrator, Municipal.Clerk and Utility Cleric
is hereby established. The committee. shall:
(a) assist the Records Management Officer in the development
of policies and procedures governing the records management
program;
(b) review the performance of the program on a regular basis
and propose changes and improvements if needed;
(c) review and approve records control schedules submitted
by the Records Management Officer;
(d) give final approval to the destruction of records in
accordance with approved records control'schedules; and
(e) actively support and promote the records management
program throughout the City of Cibolo.
SECTION 7. RECORDS MANAGEMENT PLAN TO BE DEVELOPED; APPROVAL OF'
PLAN; AUTHORITY OF PLAN.5 (a) The Records Management Officer and
the Records Management Committee shall develop a records
management plan for the City of Cibolo for submission to the City
Council. the plan must contain policies and procedures designed
to reduce the costs and -improve the efficiency of recordkeeping,
to adequately protect the essential records of the municipa't
government, and to properly preserve those records of the
municipal government that are of historical value. The plan must
be designed to enable the Records Management Officer to carry out
his or her duties prescribed by state law and this ordinance
effectively.
(b) Once approved by the City Council the records management -
plan shall be binding on all offices, departments, divisions,
programs, commissions, bureaus, boards, committees, or similar
entities of the City of Cibolo and records shall be created,
maintained, stored, microfilmed, or disposed of in accordance
with the plan.
(c) State law relating to the duties, other
responsibilities, or recordiceeping requirements of a department
head do not exempt the department head or the records in the
department head's care from the application of this ordinance arid
the records management plan adopted under it and may not be used
by the department head as a basis for refusal to participate in
the records management program of the City of Cibolo.
SECTION 8. DUTIES OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER.6 In addition to
other duties assigned in this ordinance, the Records Management
Officer shall:
(1) administer the records management program and provide
assistance to department heads in its implementation;
(2) plan, .formulate, and prescribe records disposition
policies, systems, standards, and procedures;
(3) in cooperation with department heads identify essential
records and establish a disaster plan for each municipal
government office and department to ensure maximum availability
of the records in order to re-establish operations quickly and
with minimum disruption and expense;
(4) develop procedures to ensure the permanent preservation
of the historically valuable records of the municipal government;
(5) establish standards for filing and storage equipment and
for recordkeeping supplies;
(6) study the feasibility of and, if appropriate, establish
a uniform filing system and a forms design and control system for
the City of Cibolo;
(7) provide records management advice and assistance to all.
municipal government departments by preparation of a manual or -
manuals of procedure and policy and by on-site consultation;
(8) monitor records retention schedules and administrative
rules issued by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission
to determine if the records management program and the municipal
government's records control schedules are in compliance with
state regulations;
(9) disseminate to the City Council and department heads
information concerning state laws and administrative rules
relating to local government records;
(10) instruct Records Liaison Officers and other personnel
in policies and procedures of the records management plan and
their duties in the records management progrdm;
(11) direct Records Liaison officers or other personnel in
the conduct of records inventories in preparation for the
development of records control schedules as required by state law
and this ordinance;
(12) ensure that the maintenance, preservation,
microfilming, destruction, or other disposition of municipal
government is carried out in accordance with the policies and
procedures of the records management program and the requirements
of state law;
(13) maintain records on the volume of records destroyed
under approved records control schedules, the volume of records
microfilmed or stored electronically, and the estimated cost and
space savings as the result of such disposal or disposition;
(14) report annually to the City Council on the
implementation of the records management plan in each department
of the City of. Cibolo, including summaries of the statistical and
fiscal data compiled under :subsection (13); and
(IS) — bring to the attention of. the __Clity.__S. unnil NO" -
compliance by department heads or other municipal government
personnel with the policies and procedures of the records
management program or the Local. Government Records Act.
SECTION 9. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF DEPARTMENT HEADS. In
addition to other duties assigned in this ordinance,department
heads shall:
(1) cooperate with the Record^ Management Officer in
carrying out the policies and procedures established in the City
of Cibolo for the efficient and economical management of record.,,
and in carrying out the requirements of this ordinance;
(2) adequately document the transaction of government
business and the services, programs, and duties for which ttte
department head and his or tier staff are responsible; and
(3) maintain the records in his or Iter care and carry out
their preservation, microfilming, destruction, or other
disposition only in accordance with the policies and procedures
of the records management program of the City of Cibolo and the
requirements of this ordinance.
SECTION 10. DESIGNATION OF RECORDS, LIAISON OFFICERS. Each
department head shall designate a member of his or her staff to
serve as Records Liaison Officer for the implementation of the
records management program in the department. If the Records
Management Officer determines that in the best interests of the
records management program more than one Records Liaison Officer
should be designated for a department, the department head shall.
designate the number of Records Liaison Officers specified by the
Records Management Officer. persons designated as Records
Liaison Officers shall be thoroughly familiar with all the
records created and maintained by the department and shall have
full access to all records of the City of Cibolo maintained by
the department. In the event of the resignation, retirement,
dismissal, or removal by action of the ddpartment head of a
person designated as a Records Liaison Officer, the department.
head shall promptly designate another person to fill the vacancy.
A department head may serve as Records Liaison Officer for his or
her department.
SECTION 11. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF RECORDS LIAISON
OFFICERS. In addition to other duties assigned in this
ordinance, Records Liaison Officers shall:
(a) conduct or supervise the conduct of inventories of the
records of the department :in preparation for the development of
records control schedules;
(b) in cooperation with the Records Management Officer,
coordinate and implement the policies and procedures of the
records management program in their departments; and
(c) disseminate information to department staff concerning
the records management program.
SECTION 12. RECORDS CONTROL SCHEDULES TO BE DEVELOPED; APPROVAL;
FILING WITH STATE. (a) The Records Management Officer, in
cooperation with department "cadC and Records Liaison OfficorC,
shall prepare records control schedules oil a department by
department basis listing all records created or received by the
department and the retention period for each record.
Records control schedules shall also contain such other
information regarding the disposition of municipal government
records as the records management plan may require.A
(b) each records contrul schedule i:hall be monitored '111d
amended as needed by the Records Management Officer on a regular
basis to ensure that it is in compliance with records retention
schedules issued by the state and that it continues to reflect
the recordkeeping procedures and needs of the department and the
records management program of the City of Cibolo.
(c) before its adoption a records control schedule or
amended schedule for a department must be approved by the
department head, the City Attorney, and the City Secretary..
(d) before its adoption.a records control schedule must be
submitted to and accepted for filing by the director arid
librarian as provided by state law. If a schedule is not
accepted for filing, the schedule shall be amended to make it
acceptable for filing. The Records Management Officer shall
submit the records control schedules to the director, and
librarian.
SECTION 13. IMPLEMENTATION OF RECORDS CONTROL SCHEDULES;
DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS UNDER SCHEDULE. (a) a records control
schedule for a department that has been approved and adopted
under Section 7 shall be implemented by department heads and
Records Liaison Officers according to the policies and procedures
of the records management plan.
(b) a record whose retention period has expired on a records
control schedule shall be destroyed unless 'an open records
request is pending on the record, the subject matter of the
record is pertinent to a pending law suit, or the department head
requests in writing to the Records Management Committee that thr-_
record be retained for an additional period.10
(c) prior to the destruction of a record under an approved
records control schedule, authorization for the destruction must
be obtained by the: Records Management Officer from the Records
Management Committee.11
SECTION 14-.-- DESTRUCTION -OF UNSCHEDULED- RECORDS.. A record that
has not yet been listed on an approved records control schedule
may be destroyed if its destruction has been approved in the same
manner as a record destroyed under an approved schedule and the
Records Management Officer has submitted to and received back
from the director and librarian an approved destruction
authorization request.
SECTION 15. RECORDS CENTER.12 A records center, developed pursuant
to the plan required by Section 7, shall be under tate direct
control and supervision of the Records Management Officer,
Policies and procedures regulating the operations and use of the
records center shall be contained in the records management plan
developed under Section 7.
SECTION 16. MICROGRAPHICS."llnless a micrographics program in a
department is specifically exempted by order of the City Council,
all microfilming of records will be. centralized arid under the
direct supervision of the Records Management Officer., The
records management plan will establish policies and procedurca
for the microfilming of municipal government records, including
policies to ensure that all microfilming is clone in accordance
with standards and procedures for the microfilming of local
government records established in rules of the Texas State
Library and Archives Commission. The plan will also establish
criteria for determining the eligibility of records for
microfilming, and protocols for ensuring that a microfilming
program that is exempted from the centralized operations is,
nevertheless, subject to periodic review by the records
management officer as to cost-effectiveness, administrative
efficiency, and compliance with commission rules.
I This provision is modeled after Ills .efinition of "custodian' in the Local Govern. nl Records Act (201.003(2)).
That definition rends: "'Custodian' means the appointed or elected public officer who by the slate constitution, sante
law, ordinance, or administrative policy is in charge of an office that crentes or receives local government records:' The
authority under which a person serves as a custodian of die records of a local government office varies from government
to government. The definition in the ordinance or order should be modified to suit the circumstances of each
government,
2 It Is important that either one or the other of Sections 5 (or a similar provision in those larger governments that
have full-time records managers) appear in the ordinance or order, despite lite fact that the records management officer
may already have been designated in a previous action of the goveming body. The deadline for designating a records
management officer under Ile Texas Local Government Records Act is lune 1. 1990; the deadline for establishing a
records management program by ordinance or order is January 1, 1991. In practice, however, many local governments
will choose to adopt an ordinance or order and designate the records management officer at the same time before the June
1 deadline.
Either one or lite other of these sections can be modified npptopriately if IIIc local government, through a contract or
agreement under the Intetlocal Coopernlion Act (Article 4413(32c), will have records management services provided by
a records mnnngement officer employed by another local government or by an administrative agency created under the
contract or agreement.
Other than requiring that Ile designated records management officer be an-employee of the local government (or of
another local government or agency through the Interlocal Cooperation Act) the Local Government Act does not limit
the authority of a governing body to designate whomever it wishes. Stale law, however, charges governing bodies with
duties and responsibilities designed to promote the effective and efficient management of records and the preservation of
historical resources. The records management officer will be lite principal agent of the governing body for
implementing die ordinance or order and because the records management program will effect every department of the
local government, it is a matter of managerial efficiency that there be as few intermediary personnel between the records
management officer and lite governing body as possible. If a part-time records management officer Is designated, he or
she should be someone whose other duties are commensurate with lite government-wide responsibilities and authority
for the local government's records program as provided by stale law and this ordinance or order.
In larger governments, a records mnnngement program headed by a full-time, professional records manager should never
be accorded anything less than sub-department status in the organizational chart of the government.
3 Although slate low directs lite goveming body to designate a records mwingemcni officer, nothing in Ilse low
prevents the governing body front delegating [Itis authority to [tic chief administrative officer, who may customarily
appoint other department and program hends. The nnnte of lite individual designnled must still be entered in the minutes
of ilia governing body although Ire or site may have been designated by lite chief administrative officer.
4 We recommend that this provision for the eslnblishmenl of a records ntn»ngenenl committee be Included in the
ordinmtees or orders of all but the smallest governments. Goveniiug bodice of small local governments may have the
time to lake an active and direct role in [lie development of such policies and procedures and, in effect, would time as e
body similar to the records management committee contemplated in this provision. In larger governments, however, [lie
press of other business is usually such that [Ire governing body will wish to delegate Ilse [ask of assisting the records
management officer in developing poiicies and procedures for Ilse program and in overseeing aspects of its operation to
a commillee. The membership of lie committee should be kcpl small mid should not include all department heeds in
ilia government. The chief nitortey for the lama government and its chief finnncinl officer should be members of lite
committee. 011ier officials tradilfontilly found on such committees ere [lie chief ndminislrnlor of the government (e.g.,
the city mannger of a municipality: lite superintendent of s school district); lite risk manager, If there is such an officer;
and a member of lite governing body.
Local governments with full-lime, professional recoils mmingers sonetines dispcnae with the establishment of n
formal records ntanngentent committed under lite assumptions that the records manager is a professional who is well
versed in lite principles and strategies of effective records manngemenl rind that Ire or she will conduit on a regular basis
with the nppropriote officinis in [lie development of a fominl progrnnt. A decision not to establish a records
manngemenl committee either in small governments or in govemmenls with records management departments does not
affect the need for approval of records control schedules provided for in Section 12.
The duty described under Subsection (d) is optional for lhis corumillce, but should not be optional for the progrnm.
Destruction of records under nn approved schedule should tint be fully nutnnintle. Sante law forbids lie dealruclion of
records on which either an open records request or n law suit is 1+ending, although the ielenflon periods for lie records
may have expired. There may nlso occnsimnally be other fnclnrs that wnriant keeping a record beyond its retention
period. Provision should be made, as it is in this model in Section 13, for the final approvnl for the destruction of
records under an approved schedule by eider the records management committee or other officers, if s records
management committee is not fomted.
to government. The definition in the ordinance or order should be modified to suit the circumstances of each
government. --
2 It is important that either one or lire other of Sections 5 (or a similar provision in those larger governments that
have full -lime records managers) appear in the ordinance or order, despite lire fact that the records management officer
may already have been designated in a previous action of tire governing body. The deadline for designating it records
management officer under the Texas Local Govemment Records Act is June 1, 1990; the deadline for establishing a
records management program by ordinance or order is January 1, 1991. In practice, however, many local governments
will choose to adopt an ordinance or order and designate the records management officer at the same time before the June
1 deadline.
Either one or the other of hese sections can be modified npproprimcly if the local government, through a contract or
agreement under the Interlocal Cooperation Act (Article 4413(32c), will have records management services provided by
a records management officer employed by another local government or by an administrative agency created under the
contract or agreement.
Other than requiring that the designated records nranngerpenl officer be an employee of the local government (or of
another local government or agency through the interlocal Cooperation Act) tine Local Government Act does not limit
lire authority of a governing body to designate whomever it wishes. State law, however, charges governing bodies with
duties and responsibilities designed to promote the effective and efficient management of records and the preservation of
historical resources. The records management officer will be Ilse principal agent of the governing body for
implementing tine ordinance or order and because the records management program will affect every department of the
bac! mny, .men' it is a matter of managerial efficiency that there be as few intermediary personnel between the records
management officer and the governing body as possible. If a part-time records management officer is designated, he or
she should be someone whose other duties are commensurate with the government -wide responsibilities and authority
for the local government's records program as provided by stale law and this ordinance or order.
In larger governments, a records management program headed by a full-time, professional records manager should never
be accorded anything less than sub -department status in die organizational chart of ihe.govemment.
3 Although state law directs Ilse governing body to designate a records management officer, nothing in the law
prevents the governing body from delegating this authority to the chief administrative officer, who may customarily
appoint other department and program heads. The name of the individual dcsignnied must still be entered in Ilse minutes
of the governing body although Ire or site may have been designmed by the chief administrative officer.
4 We recommend that this provision for the establishment of a records management committee be included in tine
ordinances or orders of all but the smallest governments. Governing bodies of small local governments may have [lie
time to lake an active and direct role in the development of such policies and procedures and, in effect, would serve as a
body similar to the records management committee contemplated in this provision. In larger governments, however, the
press of other business is usually such that the governing body will wish to delegate the task of assisting the records
management officer in developing policies and procedures for the program and in overseeing aspects of its operation to
n committee. The membership of the committee should be kept small and should not include all department heads in
the government. The chief attorney for the local government and its chief financial officer should be members of the
committee. Other officials traditionally found on such committees are the chief administrator of the government (e.g..
the city manager of a municipality; lite superintendent of a school district); the risk manager, if there is such an officer;
and a member of the governing body.
Local governments with full-time, professimml records managers sotnelintes dispense with the establishment of a
formal records management committee under the assumptions that lite records manager is a professional who is well
versed in tire principles and strategies of effective records management and that Ile or she will consult on a regular basis
with the appropriate officials in lire development of a formal program. A decision not to establish a records
management committee either in small governments or in governments with records management departments does not
affect the need for approval of records control schedules provided for in Section 12.
The duty described under Subsection (d) is optional for this conuniuee, but should not be optional for the program.
Destruction of records under an approved schedule should not be fully automatic. Slnle law forbids the destruction of
records on which either art open records request or a Iry suit is pending. nhhough the retention periods for the records
may have expired. There may also occasionally be other factors thin warrant keeping n record beyond its retention
period. Provision should be made, ns it is in this model in Section 13, for the final approval for the destruction of
records under an approved schedule by either tine records management committee or other officers, if a records
management committee is not formed.
5 If a records management committee is not established, this section should be amended to direct the records
manngenent officer alone to prepare a pint, for oloption or to denignnte certnin officers of the government to annlet ht
the development of lire plan. 'Ilia difference between the foment committee of Section 6 and a group of officers designated
to assist in this section is that the latter is ad hoc and temporary and will play no continuing- role in the records
management program unless specified to do so in other sections of the ordinance or order.
6 The wording of Subsections (1), (3), (4), (9), and (12) is derived directly from the duties and responsibilities of
records management officers set out in state law in § 203.023, Local Government Code. The other duties prescribed are
standard features in the centralized direction of records management programs. These duties fall well within the scope of
the definition of records management in Section 2 of this model, ilia wording of which is taken directly from Ilia
definition of records management offered in [lie Texas Local Government Records Act (4 201.003(13).
If money is budgeted separately for Ilia records management program in a local government, an additional duty of [lie
records management officer would be to prepare an annual budget for the program. Of course, in larger governments with
full-time records, managers and departments the preparation of an annual budget is an important duty of the records
management officer.
The duties of the records management officer set out in this section should be expanded for those governments with
formal records management departments and professional, full-time records managers. In the successful records
management programs throughout the country, the authority of professional records managers in local governments
typically, extends to mail room operations, print shops, and data processing. In such governments, the records manager
also usually exercises review authority, sometimes even veto authority, over the purchase of filing cabinets and other
records storage equipment. Of course, any of these standard features of formal records management departments may be
included among the duties of lite part-time records management officer as well.
7 Stale law requires that all local governments submit records control schedules listing all records created or received
by the government to the director and librarian of the Texas State Library no Inter than January 2, 1995. This deadline is
not included in the model. First, Section 4 already slates that the records management program "shall be consistent with
the requirements of state law. More important, however, an essential feature of a good records management plan
developed under Section 7 is a timetable for (lie completion of elements of the records program. projections (usually on a
department -by -department basis) for the completion of records control schedules, which in any case must be before Ilia
stale -mandated deadline, are best left to rite plan rather than the ordinance or order.
g In addition to staling a retention period for each records series as slate law requires, records control schedules
customarily contain other information regarding ilia life cycle or special characteristics of records: at what point
inactive or seri-active records will be moved from offices to records storage wrens, when records eligible for
microfilming will be Rtimed, which records require special storage or handling because they are essential, have
permanent retention, or have restricted access. Since these additional elements in a records control schedule will differ
somewhat from government to government, they are best detrned in me recoras management plait rauner Limu Lilo
ordinance or order.
9 Two versions of Subsection (c) are given. Version 2 should be used if a formal records management committee was
not established in Section 6. It ie traditional for the chief legal officer and the chief financial officer of a local
government to review and approve records control schedules before their adoption; tilt; approval of other officers is
optional. Il is also often wise to imisert a default clause, giving the designated officers a certain number of days to review
and approve a schedule, otherwise ilia schedule is adopted automatically. The disinterest of a designated officer in the
goals and purposes of We records program should not be allowed to jeopardize the program. Likewise, under Version 1, n
provision aright be inserted at this point providing Thal schedules are adopted by a majority vole of Ilre committee;
again, to forestall the disinterest of a single member from compromising the records program.
10 Ilia request should go the Records Management Officer, if n Records Management Committee was not established in
Section 6.
This Subsection may be in ilia records management plan and not the ordinance or order. It is included here because of its
crucial importance in successful records management programs. One of ilia fundamental tenets of records management is
that a record be destroyed when its value has ceased for the organization that maintains it. The duration of the record's
value has already been detemninad by Ilia setting of the retention period on the records control schedule. Barring,
therefore, pending open records requests or lawsuits or line occasional special circumstance, a local government's records
management program should provide for ilia mandatory destruction of records whose retention periods have expired.
Discretionary programs in which department heads map dispose of records under schedule never result in the benefits in
cost and space savings and administrative efficiency a well-designed program is designed to deliver. In practice, time
submission of requests from department heads for an extension of a retention period may result In the amendment of the
retention period an the records control schedule.
11 Or, if a records management committee has not been established, destruction should be authorized by the same
officers designated under Section 12 to approve records control schedules. The same provisions relating to a majority
vote or the designation of a time limit for approval may also be inserted at this point.
12 This section is optional depending on whether or not the local government makes provision for an area in which to
store semi -active or inactive records. The true success of a records management program in all but the smallest
governments largely depends on the separation of active from inactive records and the removal of the latter from
expensive office apace to storage areas in which records can be economically stored in uniform -sized, wall -labeled boxes
on steel shelving laid out in a configuration that allows for the storage of the maximum number of boxes given the space
available. Records centers range from entire buildings devoted exclusively to records storage to areas in existing
buildings set aside for that purpose. It is absolutely imperative for the success of a records program that the records
storage gree, however large or small, be under the direct authority of the records management officer and operated under
procedures embodied in the records management plan. For the records center to be under another officer is to defeat the
entire concept of a centralized, government -wide records management program, the only kind of program that brings
results.
13 An optional section depending on whether the local government microfilms or not. The section is written on the
basis of an in-house microfilming operation. U all microfilming is done by service bureaus, the section should be
amended to provide centralized supervision and coordination of microfilming service contracts. There may be certain on-
going microfilming projects (e.g. Computer Output Microfilming (COM) by a police department) which are
impracticable for centralized operations, but central review of departmental level programs is an important part of
effective records management. Agnin, as with records centers, it is imperative that the records management officer have
control over centralized micrographics.
There is no provision in the model concerning the electronic storage of records. In larger governments that contemplate
putting data processing under the records management officer, a provision for that purpose should be insetted. Other
types of electronic storage, especially those involving PCs and optical disk systems, are not easily subject to
centralized operations, but they should be subject in the records mnnngcment program to centralized review and
oversight, particularly with regard to security for any essential records stored electronically. Records of permanent value
can be stored electronically only with lite prior permission of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and are
subject to procedural rules laid down by the commission. Slate law provides that requests for authorization to store
records electronically are submitted by the records management officer. 11 is important, therefore, for the records
management plan to.include policies and procedures regulating the electronic storage of records in the government.
PASSED AND APPROVED THIS THE 1( DAY OF 19 910,
'771 'J Zu( 6&'C.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Secretary