HomeMy WebLinkAbout(2011, 09/27) - F-17 - AmendedF-17
1
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction for retention and deletion of electronic
communications.
POLICY
A. Electronic communications via the City’s computerized Integrated Messaging
Systems (IMS), including, but not limited to, e-mail or voice-mail systems, are an
important and effective tool that facilitates the conduct of the City’s business
through efficient, expeditious and cost effective communications. Electronic
communications, by their nature, are not customarily preserved and retained by
the City or its officers or employees, but are transitory in nature similar to, and
often used as a substitute for, telephonic or person-to-person communications.
The City Council recognizes its legal obligations relating to the preservation
and/or public disclosure of public records pursuant to the requirements of
destruction of records laws and/or the Public Records Act (PRA). However, the
City’s electronic communication systems have a limited capacity and, as such,
the City routinely purges (deletes) e-mail and voice-mail communications from
the system. Each system, to function as intended, anticipates or requires that
employees regularly delete the communications from the system. Accordingly,
an electronic communication shall not to be used by any City official or
employee as the exclusive means to memorialize information when it is
necessary or intended that the informational content of the communication be
preserved for future City use or reference.
B. All electronic communications to, from, between or among any City officials or
employees by use of an electronic communication system to facilitate any
business of the City, where it is neither necessary nor intended that the
informational content of the communication be preserved for future City use or
reference, may be deleted from the City’s computer system without preserving
the informational content of the communication or any portion thereof, unless:
(1) a law expressly requires such communication to be kept; or (2) the
preservation of the communication is necessary or convenient to the discharge of
the public officer’s or employee’s duties and the communication was made or
retained for the purpose of preserving this informational content for future City
use or reference.
F-17
2
C. If the City is required to maintain any electronic communication as a permanent
record, it shall be printed out in hard copy form for permanent filing.
Alternately, an electronic file shall be copied, archived and stored separately
from ordinary entries or message logs, capable of being retrieved in readable or
audible and comprehensible form.
Adopted – April 23, 2002
Amended – September 27, 2011