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Home My Public Portal About2014-05-15_Records Management Policy_P-78Municipality of the District of Chester Records Management Adopted by Council - May 15, 2014 Records Management Policy P-78 (continued) MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF CHESTER RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY POLICY P-78 1. This Policy maybe cited as the Records Management Policy. 2. In this policy: a. Council means the Council of the Municipality; b. Designated Officer means the person designated and authorized by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Municipality; c. Manual means the AMANS Records Management Manual as amended from time to time; d. Record includes books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers and any other thing on which information is recorded or stored by graphic, electronic, mechanical or other means, but does not include a computer program or any other mechanism that produces records; e. Records Management System means the electronic system used by the Municipality to manage the records of the Municipality from record creation through to records disposal. f. Records Schedule is a descriptive listing of records indicating the: • Primary / secondary titles and classification number; • Length of time each record shall be retained from date of creation or capture through active and semi -active use; • Method of disposition; ie. secure destruction or permanent archival retention. Recommendation to Adopt -Committee of the Whole -April 17, 2014 (2014-166) First Notice -Council - April 24, 2014 (2014-175) Second Notice - Council - May 15, 2014 (2014-205) Effective Date - May 15, 2014 Page 2 Records Management Policy P-78 (continued) Records Management System Established 3. The Records Management System currently used by the Municipality is authorized. Compliance with the Records Management System 4. All records in the custody and control of the employees of the Municipality are the property of the Municipality. All records of the Municipality must comply with the Records Management System and this policy. All employees and management of the Municipality must comply with this policy. Designated Officer S. The Designated Officer is responsible for the management and maintenance of the Records Management System. Adoption of the Manual 6. The Designated Officer is authorized to adopt and maintain the Manual as part of the Records Management System. Records of the Municipality must be created, accessed, maintained and disposed of only as provided by the Manual. The Manual includes a Records Retention Schedule that prescribes the period of time that records are kept to meet the operational, legal, regulatory, financial or other requirements of the Municipality. The Records Retention Schedule also provides instructions as to the manner and time of the disposition of a record. Recommendation to Adopt - Committee of the Whole - April 17, 2014 (2014-166) First Notice -Council -April 24, 2014 (2014-175) Second Notice - Council - May 15, 2014 (2014-205) Effective Date - May 15, 2014 Page 3 Records Management Policy P-78 (continued) Integrity and Authenticity Maintained 7. The Records Management System must maintain the integrity and authenticity of records made or kept in the usual and ordinary course of business. Authorization to Amend Manual B. The Designated Officer is authorized to amend the Manual, consulting the AMANS Records Management Committee where such amendments impact or change the records schedule. Disposal by Designated Officer 9. When the Designated Officer determines that the retention period for a given record described in the Records Retention Schedule has ended, the Designated Officer may allow the record to be destroyed or otherwise disposed of in accordance with the instructions outlined in the Records Retention Schedule and in consultation with stakeholders within the organization as detailed below: a. Destruction actions must always be formally authorized, allowing for staff to intercede if specific issues such as a government investigation, audit, freedom of information access request, litigation or legal claim require that destruction must be halted. b. Records pertaining to any actual or pending government investigation, audit, freedom of information access request, litigation or legal claim should not be destroyed. There should be processes to impose a "legal hold" when specific requirements arise; c. Records destruction should be undertaken in a manner that preserves the confidentiality of records, including the privacy of information about individuals; Recommendation to Adopt -Committee of the Whole -April 17, 2014 (2014-166) First Notice -Council -April 24, 2014 (2014-175) Second Notice - Council - May 15, 2014 (2014-205) Effective Date - May 15, 2014 Page 4 Records Management Policy P-78 (continued) d. All copies of records that are authorized for destruction, including security, preservation and backup copies, should be destroyed as soon as reasonably possible; e. Records should be maintained to document the destruction actions. Certificates of destruction are generally provided by service agencies, and these are retained permanently, along with information about the records series title, date range and date of destruction; and f. Records that are required by any enactment to be kept, and all minutes, by- laws, policies and resolutions of Council shall not be destroyed. Recommendation to Adopt -Committee of the Whole -April 17, 2014 (2014-166) First Notice -Council -April 24, 2014 (2014-175) Second Notice - Council - May 15, 2014 (2014-205) Effective Date - May 15, 2014 Page 5 Records Management Policy P-78 (continued) Annotation for Official Policy Book Committee of the Whole Notice of Intention to Adopt April 17, 2014 2014-166 Council Date of First Notice at Council April 24, 2014 2014-175 Council Date of Second Notice at Council May 15, 2014 2014-205 Effective Date May 15, 2014 I certify that this Policy was adopted by Council as indicated above. May 27, 2014 Pamela M. M , Mun' paI Clerk Date J f Recommendation to Adopt - Committee of the Whole - April 17, 2014 (2014-166) First Notice -Council - April 24, 2014 (2014-175) Second Notice - Council - May 15, 2014 (2014-205) Effective Date - May 15, 2014 Page 6