ARA-8.05 - City Bureau Access to Records Stored at the Archives and Records Center (PARC)

Purpose

PARC stores inactive records for bureaus and is the official repository for the City’s historical records (Archives). The purpose of this policy is to set rules for bureaus requiring access to their records and other bureau records stored at PARC.

Authority

City Code Chapter 3.76.040 Authority and Duties of the Archives and Records Management Program:

Analyze, develop and provide written standards and procedures for the care and maintenance of City records, including those created and/or maintained in electronic format;.

City Code Chapter 3.76.090 Public Access to Records:

All City records, except for those exempted by law, are available for inspection and copying by the public. The City may require that records use occur during certain business hours and at specified locations, and may charge fees to recover the cost of retrieval and copying.

Policies

In general, bureaus may access their records and other records stored at PARC. Bureaus may request to check out certain types of records for temporary use. Records not belonging to the bureau or any records that are part of the Archives (Historical Records Collection) are unavailable for check out. However, they may be accessed on the premises, except for records exempt from disclosure or in cases where a bureau is the designated disseminator of the information.

Bureau Access to records stored at PARC

1. 1) Records Center
   1.  Unless otherwise directed by a bureau director or division manager, all employees of a bureau are permitted to check-out their bureau’s records stored with the Records Center.
   2. Records identified as exempt from disclosure are only available to those who have direct responsibility for the records or have been approved for access.
   3. Bureaus may choose to designate representatives who request records for a division or a particular type of record; in this case, the designee will be the only bureau employee who may order or receive these records.
   4. Bureaus may not receive original records generated or maintained by another bureau.
   5. Bureaus may request a copy of any record or make arrangements to view documents at PARC, including those belonging to another bureau.
   6. Only authorized employees may request records that are exempt from disclosure (ORS 192.420).
   7. Records requested by the bureau before 8 a.m. are retrieved and sent out in that day’s inter-office mail run. Requests made after 8 a.m. are sent out the next day.
   8. Rush requests for records are accommodated, but may not go out in inter-office mail. Requestors may pick the records up at PARC or arrange for a courier to pick them up. Anyone picking up records will be asked to show their city identification and in the case of couriers, the requestor will notify PARC staff which company will pick up the records.
   9. Extensive requests may take additional time and the requestor will be notified. Some requests may require a visit to PARC.
   10.  Bureaus will not add additional material to received files or boxes. Contact PARC for guidance if additional records need to be filed. Files or boxes returning with more material than was sent to the requestor will be rejected.
   11.  Boxes or easily identifiable files may be requested. If a file is difficult to find within a box, or takes up a majority of the box, the whole box will be sent to the requestor.
   12. Boxes checked out for more than six months will be permanently reassigned to the bureau. Bureaus wishing to resend boxes that were reassigned to them will need to submit new forms (see Records Manual )
2.  Archives
   1.  Bureaus may not check out records that are part of the Archives (Historical Records Collection); rather, employees may view the records at PARC. Research hours and other information about using the Archives can be found here
      Archives and Records Management
   2.  In some cases where specific items are required by a bureau, copies may be sent to the bureau without requiring a visit to PARC.
   3. Bureaus are not charged for copies made on-site. If PARC is unable to produce copies on-site, arrangements will be made with bureau agencies or outside vendors to produce copies and the bureau will pay the agency or vendor directly.

Procedures

Bureaus: Procedures for requesting records

1. Submit requests by email (PARC@portlandoregon.gov), phone (503-865-4100) or through the employee’s request form via Efiles (http://efiles.portlandoregon.gov).
   1.  Requests received before 8 a.m. of a work day will be sent out in inter-office mail that same day, unless otherwise notified.
   2. All other requests will be placed in the queue and sent out the following day.
2. Provide the following information:
   1. Bureau
   2. Contact information
   3. Record(s) being requested by one of the following identifying methods, listed in preferred order of specificity:
      1. PARC Confirmation number, along with the box number – e.g. 2007198 box 5;
      2.  PARC location – please note that this number is not always a constant and may change; or
      3. Records Retention Schedule number and other identifying information about the box.
3. Know where and when inter-office mail is delivered for the bureau and work unit, including boxes. Check these areas before contacting PARC if the file or box has not reached the requestor.
4. Return files promptly and boxes within 6 months to: 224/PARC, with the original check-out tag attached.

PARC: Procedures for records requests

1. Process all requests received before 8 a.m. on normal business days.
2. Notify requestor of any problems surrounding their request.
3. Re-file returning records in a timely manner.

History

Ordinance No. 182637, passed by City Council April 1, 2009 and effective May 1, 2009.

Amended by the City Auditor November 8, 2012.

Administratively renamed ARA-8.05 on December 6, 2022