HomeMy WebLinkAboutTOI Records Management Policy 2026Revised & Approved 2026 Pg. 1
TOWN OF ITHACA
Records Management Policy
Records Management Officer and Program
Pursuant to Article 57-A of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law of the State of New York there shall
be a records management program established under the jurisdiction of the Town Clerk as Records
Management Officer (RMO). The Town Clerk or his/her designee is hereby given the responsibility
and authority to assist departments, boards, and committees in the management and maintenance of
active, inactive, and archival public records of the Town of Ithaca, and their storage in accordance
with local, state, and federal laws and guidelines.
General Policy Statement:
It is the Policy of the Town to adhere to the New York State Archives’ Retention and Disposition
Schedule for New York Local Government Records (LGS-01). Digital records, when existing,
are the official record of the Town and will supersede any remaining physical record.
Powers and Duties
The Records Management Officer (RMO), in conjunction with the Records Management Advisory
Board (RMAB), shall assist in the efficient administration, use, preservation, storage, servicing and
disposition of town records kept, filed or received by the offices, departments, boards, and
committees of the Town of Ithaca.
A. The RMO:
1) Assist departments, boards, and committees in the continual survey and examination of
town records for determining the classification of the record series type and determining any
extensions to established retention periods. *
2) Conduct periodic reviews of instances where the LGS-01 retention periods are extended for
relevance and efficiency. **
3) Advise and assist Town departments, boards, and committees in the establishment of
guidelines for proper records management practices for maintaining, storage, servicing and
timely disposition of all active, inactive and archival records in accordance with local, state,
and federal laws and guidelines.
4) Assist in the education and training of all Town employees and volunteers in proper records
management as defined by law.
*Any record series not listed in the LGS-01 requires notification to the Commissioner of
Education and may not be disposed of until a determination and assignment of a retention
period is made.
**LGS-01 allows for the extension of retention schedules when deemed appropriate and
recommends listing any extensions and periodically reviewing them for appropriateness.
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B. Records Management Advisory Board (RMAB)
1) The RMAB shall consist of:
• the Town Clerk (RMO)
• two Town Board members, one of which shall be the Town Supervisor
• the Town Network Specialist
• the Town Historian
• support staff of the Planning, Zoning, Public Works Departments as needed
2) The RMAB will meet annually and as necessary to:
a) Provide advice to the RMO on the development and review of the records management
program.
b) Review the performance, efficiency and adherence to the LGS-01 requirements and
procedures associated with records management and propose changes and
improvements when necessary.
c) Review retention periods for new/not covered record series under the LGS-01 Schedule,
requests to extend retention periods proposed by staff, and recommend same to the
Town Board for approval.
C. Exceptions to the LGS1 Schedule
Meeting Recordings – Audio (4 m after approval of minutes) extended to permanent, video set
at 1 year (Disposition will happen in January of the following year; Jan – Dec 2025 would be
disposed of in January of 2027 to capture a full year of the last month of the year.
Meeting Packets – Extended to 10 years. (6 yrs from date of meeting)
Petitions – Extended to permanent. (6 yrs after action/denial)
D. Custody of Records
All records are owned by the Town of Ithaca as an entity regardless of what department or
person originally created, received, or physically possesses them. Records are maintained by
town personnel for the benefit of the public and all levels of government.
The RMO is the official custodian of all Town records, both active and inactive, regardless of
retention schedule, and the person ultimately responsible for all town records.
Original physical records should not be removed from town property without the consent of the
RMO and/or the RMAB.
E. Definitions
1) Records: any documents, books, papers, photographs, sound recording, microfilms, or any
other materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made, produced, executed or
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received, pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official Town
business. Records do not include library materials, extra copies of documents created only
for convenience, and stocks of publications.
2) Archives: official records determined to be “permanent” retention under the LGS-01
Schedule or extended to permanent retention upon a recommendation by the Records
Management Advisory Board and approval by the Town Board.
3) Records Management: the planning, organizing, training, and oversight of records retention,
preservation, imaging, disposal, and maintenance of records centers/storage facilities or
preservation system.
4) Records Disposition: the destruction or transfer of records.
5) Records Management Storage/Repository: location(s) maintained for the storage, servicing,
security, and processing of records for the duration of their retention period(s). This includes
digital and cloud-based storage locations as well as brick-and-mortar storage rooms.
6) Records Request (FOIL) fulfillment: Requesting and compiling records from pertinent
departments and fulfilling or denying requests under FOIL.
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Records Destruction Authorization
Record Series Name Date span LGS01 Series
#
Retention Comments
Reviewed by Records Management Advisory Board if Applicable Date: _________
Destruction authorized by Department Head/Staff Liaison responsible for the record series
_________________________ Date _______________
Department Head
_______________________ Date _______________
Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk/RMO