As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated.
ARCHIVES
Those records which have been determined by the Town Clerk and the
Records Advisory Committee to be worthy of permanent preservation and special
administration because of the importance of information they contain for continuing
administrative, legal or fiscal purposes or for historical or other research.
RECORDS DISPOSITION
The removal of records from Town offices or from an inactive records
storage center and their subsequent disposal by one of the following methods:
destruction in accordance with approved records disposition schedules established
by the State of New York and the Town of Niskayuna; sale; gift; or other authorized
means or transfer to the archives.
RECORDS
Any book, paper, map, photograph, microfilm or other information
storage device regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received
pursuant to law or in conjunction with the transaction of official Town business.
RECORDS MANAGEMENT
The planning, controlling, directing, organizing, training, promotion
and other managerial activities involved in the life cycle of all records
and information.
RMO
Records Management Officer.
RECORDS CENTER
A central storage facility maintained by the Records Management Officer
for the efficient storage, reference servicing, security and processing of
inactive records pending their ultimate destruction or transfer to the archives.
RECORDS RETENTION AND DISPOSITION SCHEDULE
A published listing, issued by the State Archives and Records Administration
or the State of New York Unified Court System, that indicates the legal minimum
retention periods for local government records.
RETENTION PERIOD
The minimum period of time which must elapse before a record is eligible
for disposition.
VITAL RECORDS
Those records that are essential to the continuing operation of the
Town. They are the records that would be required to resume and continue the
operations of government after a major disaster, such as fire or flood, to
protect the legal and financial interests of the Town and to preserve the
rights of the people.
There shall be a Records Advisory Board to provide advice to the Town
Clerk. The Board shall consist of at least five members from the following
categories: Town Supervisor or his/her designee; Town Attorney or his/her
designee; a member of the Town Board designated by the Town Supervisor; the
Records Coordinator; and a Department Head designated by the Town Supervisor.
In the event that no person is filling the position of Records Coordinator,
the Town Clerk will recommend a person to serve on this Board. The Board shall
meet periodically and have the following duties:
A. Provide advice to the Town Clerk on the development of
the records management program.
B. Review the performance of the program on an ongoing basis
and propose changes and improvements.
C. Review retention periods proposed by the Town Clerk for
records not covered by the state schedules.
D. Provide advice on the appraisal of records for archival
value.
To comply with Article 6 of the Public Officers Law, the following format
will be followed:
A. All requests for information shall be in writing, reasonably
describing the record requested and made during regular business hours of
the Town of Niskayuna RMO.
B. Within five business days of the receipt of the written
request for a record reasonably described, the Niskayuna RMO shall make such
record available to the person requesting it, deny such request in writing
or furnish a written acknowledgment of the receipt of such request and the
approximate date when such request will be granted or denied.
C. Any person denied access to a record may appeal, within
30 days, in writing, such denial to the Town Board.
D. The Town Board is hereby designated as the appeal agency
for determination of denials and will proceed as follow:
(1) The Town Board shall, within 10 business days of the
receipt of an appeal, fully explain, in writing, to the person requesting
the record, the reason for further denial or the Town Board shall provide
access to the record sought.
The fees for copies of records shall not exceed the fees established
by the State of New York or the actual cost of reproduction of any other record,
unless otherwise prescribed by statute.