ARA-8.07 - Standards for Storing City Records

Purpose

As the agency charged with preserving the City’s records and for ensuring that agencies comply with state law and administrative rules, Archives and Records Management (A/RM) is responsible for setting standards affecting preservation, security and the continued access to records.

Authority

City Code Chapter 3.76.030 Archives and Records Management Program Creation and Administration.

The City Auditor shall maintain a professional Archives and Records Management Program for the City, and shall be responsible for the care, maintenance and access of all City records. The City Auditor shall be the custodian for all permanent records for which an agency has transferred ownership to the Auditor and for all historical records.

Policies

1. All official City records shall be:
   1.  stored in structures that meet current building codes relevant to office structures or buildings designed for records storage, including adequate smoke detectors and fire suppression;
   2. protected from theft, unauthorized access and premature destruction;
   3. protected from damaging elements, including extreme cold or heat, direct sunlight, moisture or dampness, and pests;
      1.  Storage conditions for physical records shall have temperatures no less than 60 degrees or greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and shall have a relative humidity no greater than 50 percent.
      2. Storage conditions for electronic records shall meet industry standards for computer rooms.
   4.  stored on appropriate shelving, in filing cabinets or other approved storage mediums.
2. All City records must be stored in City offices or with Archives and Records Management. No City records may be stored with non-City entities unless specific approval has been granted by Archives and Records Management.
    
3. City records stored in third-party systems shall comply with all City policies and standards for electronic records, including but not limited to: security, access, the ability to properly destroy records, and the ability to export the data while maintaining record integrity and authenticity.
    
4. Official notification of records accidentally destroyed or lost will be sent to A/RM as soon as the loss is identified.

Responsibilities

Bureau

1. Bureaus shall maintain all City records in conditions that meet or exceed the storage standards set forth in this policy. Bureaus shall notify A/RM of records stored in conditions not meeting specified standards.
    
2. Bureaus with satellite offices and/or buildings will ensure that all records stored in these structures meet the standards set forth in this policy.
    
3. Bureaus shall maintain records in their offices and satellite buildings that are necessary for performing current duties. Records no longer needed for current projects, or that are older than 25 years shall be transferred to the Archives and Records Center.
    
4. Bureaus shall ensure that City records are stored in official City buildings. Bureaus determining that records are stored with non-City agencies or vendors are required to notify A/RM in writing; bureaus may be required to transfer these records to the Archives and Records Center. Bureaus storing records with third-party vendors are responsible for ensuring that the conditions comply with City standards and policies.
    
5. Bureaus shall notify A/RM in writing as soon as they become aware that records have been lost or accidentally destroyed; the notification will include a description of the records and the circumstances leading to the loss.

Archives and Records Management

1. A/RM shall maintain a records storage facility that meets or exceeds requirements set by the Oregon State Archives and are within the standards recommended by the National Archives.
    
2. A/RM shall determine if it is in the best interests of the City to grant bureau requests to store records in non-City offices.
    
3. A/RM shall consult with bureaus regarding storage conditions and make recommendations on changes, if needed. If A/RM determines that records are at-risk, the bureau will be notified in writing. The bureau may either make changes or transfer the records to the Archives and Records Center.

History

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

Administratively renamed ARA-8.07 on December 6, 2022