All papers, correspondence, memoranda, accounts, reports, maps, plans, photographs, sound and video recordings, files, microform, magnetic or paper tape, punched cards, or other documents, regardless of physical form or characteristic, which have been or shall be created, received, filed, or recorded by any city office or department or its lawful successor, or officials thereof, in pursuance of law or ordinance or in the conduct, transaction, or performance of any business, duty, or function of public business, whether or not confidential or restricted in use, are hereby declared to be records of the city and shall be created, maintained, and disposed of in accordance with the provisions of this division or procedures authorized by it and in no other manner.
Library and museum materials acquired solely for reference, exhibit, or display and stocks of publications shall not constitute records for purpose of this division.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.01)
All city records as defined in section 1.08.031 of this division are hereby declared to be the property of the city. No city official or employee has, by virtue of his or her position, any personal or property right to such records even though he or she may have developed or compiled them. The unauthorized destruction, removal from files, or use of such records is prohibited.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.02)
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the city to provide for efficient, economical, and effective controls over the creation, distribution, organization, maintenance, use, and disposition of all city records through a comprehensive system of integrated procedures for the management of records from their creation to their ultimate disposition.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.03)
There is hereby established a records management function, and the city secretary is hereby made responsible for directing the function and coordinating records management operations among the city offices and departments.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.04)
The city secretary, as records manager, shall have the following duties:
(1) 
Plan, formulate, and prescribe basic files management and records disposition policies, systems, standards, and procedures.
(2) 
Prepare records retention and disposition schedules in cooperation with department heads for all city offices and departments, define and identify vital and permanent records, and establish retention periods for all records. Retention periods shall be no shorter than desired by the originating office, but shall be as long as deemed necessary by either the records manager, the city attorney, or the city finance officer.
(3) 
Review schedules annually and update or amend as needed.
(4) 
Coordinate the city-wide files management and records disposition programs and report annually to the city council on program effectiveness in each city department.
(5) 
Provide records management advice and assistance to all city offices and departments, by preparation of manuals of procedure and policies and by on-site consultation.
(6) 
Develop, disseminate, and coordinate files maintenance and records disposition procedures, including but not limited to those prescribed by this division, to meet the current and long-term information needs of the city.
(7) 
Train department records officers and other personnel in the fundamentals of records management and their duties in the records management program.
(8) 
Carry out at the proper time actions such as microphotography, destruction, and transfers that are required by records schedules.
(9) 
Design and manage the operations of a records center.
(10) 
Establish and monitor compliance with standards for filing and storage equipment and supplies in all city offices and departments, and report to the city council failure of any officer or department to comply with standards.
(11) 
Keep careful records of savings in equipment, supplies, and staff costs realized by each department of the city through implementation of the records management program, and report annually such cost savings to the city council.
(12) 
Establish in cooperation with other responsible city officials a disaster plan for each city office and department to insure maximum availability of records for re-establishing operations quickly and with minimum disruption and expense.
(13) 
Develop procedures to insure the permanent preservation of the historically valuable records of the city.
(14) 
Protect privacy and assure availability of public information from records stored in the records center; bring to the attention of the city council any office not in compliance with laws or ordinances regarding public access to information or protection of privacy.
(15) 
Prepare and submit annually to the city council the budget requirements of the records management function to enable it to fulfill the records management goals of the city.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.05)
All city offices and department heads are responsible for the implementation and operation of effective files operations, records transfers and dispositions, and other activities in accordance with the provisions of this division within their areas of responsibility.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.06)
All city offices and departments shall adopt records retention and disposition schedules and destroy, transfer, or otherwise dispose of records only according to such schedules.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.07)
The city secretary shall develop records retention schedules in cooperation with the city finance officer and city attorney. When a records retention and disposition schedule is adopted, it shall thenceforth constitute full authority to destroy, transfer, microphotograph, or take other actions, and the city council hereby directs that such action be taken by the city secretary or under his/her supervision. The city secretary shall notify the state librarian of intended destruction, as required by law, but no further notice to the city council or other city office shall be required. Revision of retention periods shall be submitted for review to the city attorney and city finance officer in the same manner as the original retention periods.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.08)
Prior to adoption of records schedules for an office, one-time destruction of accumulated obsolete records of that office may be made by or under the supervision of the city secretary. Prior to such destruction the city secretary shall submit lists of records to be destroyed to the city finance officer and the city attorney, who shall give notice within 10 working days of any records they believe should not be destroyed, and such records shall be retained for a period suggested by either. The city secretary shall also submit notice as required by law to the state librarian. Obsolete records shall include those no longer created by the office or department and no longer needed for administrative, legal, fiscal, or other research purposes.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.09)
The city secretary shall develop procedures to insure the permanent preservation of the historically valuable records of the city. The city secretary shall provide housing under archival conditions for such records in the records center or in another municipal facility and in such manner that the records, unless their use is restricted by law or regulation, are open to the public for research purposes. If city-owned facilities are not available, the city secretary shall arrange for the transfer of the records to the state library for perpetual care and preservation in one of its nearby regional historical resource depositories, or shall make other arrangements for their permanent preservation not contrary to law or regulation. In no circumstances shall the permanent records of the city be transferred to private individuals, to private historical societies or museums, or to private colleges or universities.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.10)
Records no longer required in the conduct of current business by any office of the city shall be promptly transferred to the records center or archives of the state library, or be destroyed, at the time such action is designated on an approved records schedule. Such records shall not be maintained in current office files or equipment.
(2005 Code, sec. 2.5.11)