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July Updates
This monthly newsletter features content exclusively for 
Appointed Records Officers.

Our New Look!

For the past 40 years, the State Archives has been part of the Department of Administrative Services alongside our sister divisions of Purchasing, Finance, Fleet Services, Facilities and Construction Management, Risk Management and Administrative Rules.

As of July 1, we are officially part the Department of Government Operations! In addition to the name change, two new divisions will join our ranks: the Division of Human Resource Management and the Division of Technology Services. This realignment will streamline the services our Department offers to governmental entities, and open opportunities for collaboration between divisions that will improve the Utah government experience for both government workers and Utah’s citizens. Read more about where we have been and where we are going, in our blog post.

Dear Abby, 

I recently received a GRAMA request for our city’s procedures for the retention of text messages on city officials' phones. I can’t find the general retention schedule for text messages and need help creating a policy. Can the Archives help? 

Sincerely,
One Weary Recorder

 

Dear Weary Recorder, 

Text messages, like emails, are correspondence. The Archives has a variety of correspondence retention schedules that can be used depending on the content of the message. Most correspondence falls into two categories: transitory and administrative. You can find the transitory correspondence (GRS-1759), local government routine administrative (GRS-1760) and state government routine administrative correspondence (GRS-48) schedules on the Archives retention schedule website.

Text messages typically fall into the transitory correspondence category and can be deleted as soon as the content has been acted on. But if for any reason a text message documents a business decision, it may need to be downloaded and kept in a record keeping system for a longer amount of time. Always encourage officials to make business records in a government system where their management can be better controlled. The Archives also provides an email management guideline that your agency can use to help create a policy for correspondence that works best for you! If you have additional questions, your Archives RIM specialist is always available.


Hope this helps!
Abby

Records Officer Spotlight

The shift from paper to electronic files can be challenging for agencies. Luckily for the Utah Department of Corrections, they have two experienced records officers to lead the transition! Read more in our latest Records Officer Spotlight blog post written by GRS and State Agency RIM Specialist Matt Pierce.

GRS Updates

We are proposing a new schedule this month, Proclamations, Declarations and Executive Orders. If this update might affect you or your agency, we would appreciate your feedback (via web form here, or from our GRS Updates webpage).

We are withdrawing last month's update based on your feedback. There was confusion as to whether the proposed update required new recordkeeping practices. Overall, General Retention Schedules don't obligate agencies to create records; they are guides for records already created. That being said, the service records cards have rarely been encountered. Therefore, we will add a note to the schedule indicating that these records are no longer created, but that agencies may still have them.

State Records Committee Update
The State Records Committee heard six appeals this month, covering topics such as fee waivers, inventories for shared records, record request forms for inmates, and records related to an incident at a high school volleyball game. One takeaway is that it's especially tricky to balance the public's right to information with an individual's right to privacy, especially when the individual is a public employee.
 
The State Records Committee has vacancies for a citizen member and a member with database experience. If you or someone you know is interested in serving on the Committee in either capacity, please contact Rebekkah Shaw (rshaw@utah.gov).
RMC Update

The RMC met and approved two retention schedules: Licensure records for active facilities (SSRS-28958) and Internet service provider disclosures (SSRS-30126).

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