[HISTORY: Adopted by Dutchess County 7-28-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
STATUTORY REFERENCES
Local Government Records Law — See Arts and
Cultural Affairs Law Art. 57-a.
[Amended 5-14-2012 by L.L. No. 4-2012]
There shall be a records management program established under
the aegis of the Office of the Dutchess County Clerk and headed by
a Records Management Officer. The Dutchess County Executive shall
designate the Records Management Officer. The Records Management Officer
will be responsible for administering the non-current and archival
public records and storage areas for the County of Dutchess in accordance
with local, state and federal laws and guidelines.
The Officer shall have all the necessary powers to carry out
the efficient administration, determination of value, use, preservation,
storage and disposition of the non-current and archival public records
kept, filed or received by the offices and departments of the County
of Dutchess. The Records Management Officer shall:
A.Â
Continually survey and examine public records to recommend their
classification so as to determine the most suitable methods to be
used for the maintaining, storing and servicing of archival material:
(1)Â
Obsolete and unnecessary records according to New York State Records
Retention and Disposition Schedules thereby subject to disposition;
or
(2)Â
Information containing administrative, legal, fiscal, research, historical
or educational value which warrant their permanent retention; or
(3)Â
Records not subject to disposition according to state law.
B.Â
Establish guidelines for proper records management in any department
or agency of County government in accordance with local, state and
federal laws and guidelines.
C.Â
Report annually to the County Executive and Legislature on the powers
and duties herein mentioned, including, but not limited to, the cost/benefit
ratio of programs effectuated by the department.
D.Â
Operate a County Records Management Center for the storage, processing
and servicing of all non-current and archival records for all County
departments and agencies.
There shall be a Records Advisory Board designated to work closely
with and provide advice to the Records Management Officer.
A.Â
The Board shall consist of the County Clerk, the County Historian,
a representative of the County Legislature selected by the Chair of
the Legislature, the Commissioner of Computer Information Systems,
the President of the County Historical Society, or his/her designee,
the President of the Dutchess County Municipal Historians Association,
or his/her designee, the President of the Genealogical Society, or
his/her designee, and a Dutchess County archivist to be selected by
the County Historian.
B.Â
The Board shall meet periodically and have the following duties:
(1)Â
Provide advice to the Records Management Officer on the development
of the records management program;
(2)Â
Review the performance of the program on an ongoing basis and propose
changes and improvements;
(4)Â
Provide advice on the appraisal of records for archival value and
be the final sign-off entity as to what is or is not archival.
The Records Management Officer shall maintain physical custody
and official responsibility of all records in his/her possession.
Department heads shall retain constructive control and authority over
all department records.
No records shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by a
department of the County unless approval has been obtained from the
Records Management Officer. No records shall be destroyed or otherwise
disposed of by the Records Management Officer without the express
written consent of the department head having authority.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Those official records which have been determined by the
Records Management Officer and Records Advisory Board to have sufficient
historical or other value to warrant their continued preservation
by the County.[1]
Any documents, books, papers, photographs, sound recordings,
microforms, or any other materials, regardless of physical form or
characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance or
in connection with the transaction of official County business.
An establishment maintained by the department primarily for
the storage, servicing, security and processing of records which must
be preserved for varying periods of time and need not be retained
in office equipment or space.
The removal by the County, in accordance with approved records
control schedules, of records no longer necessary for the conduct
of business by such agency through removal methods which may include:
The disposal of temporary records by destruction or donation;
or
The transfer of records to the Division of Central Services
for temporary storage of archival records and permanent storage of
records determined to have historical or other sufficient value warranting
continued preservation; and
The transfer of records from one County agency to any other
County agency.
The planning, controlling, directing, organizing, training,
promotion and other managerial activities involved in records creation,
records maintenance and use and records disposition, including records
preservation, records disposal and records centers or other storage
facilities.
Making information in records available to any County agency
for official use or to the public.
