[Adopted by L.L. No. 5-1987]
There shall be a records management program
established under the jurisdiction of the Ulster County Clerk and
headed by a Records Management Officer who shall be appointed by the
County Clerk. The Officer will be responsible for administering the
noncurrent and archival public records and storage areas for the County
of Ulster and participating municipalities within the County in accordance
with local, state and federal laws and guidelines.
A.
The Officer shall have all the necessary powers to
carry out the efficient administration, determination of value, use,
preservation, storage and disposition of the noncurrent and archival
public records kept, filed or received by the officers and departments
of the County of Ulster and other participating municipalities.
B.
The Records Management Officer shall:
(1)
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:
(a)
Obsolete and unnecessary records according to
New York State records retention and disposition schedules, thereby
subject to disposition.
(b)
Information containing administrative, legal,
fiscal, research, historical or educational value which warrants its
permanent retention.
(c)
Records not subject to disposition according
to state law.
(2)
Establish guidelines for proper records management
in any department or agency of County government in accordance with
local, state and federal laws and guidelines.
(3)
Review all requests for records storage equipment,
microfilm equipment, etc., and coordinate and participate in planning
for the development of micrographics and automated data processing
systems.
(4)
Operate a County Records Management Center for the
storage, processing and servicing of all noncurrent and archival records
for all County departments and agencies. Servicing of records for
the public shall in no way be in a manner which limits the availability
of the record to the public.
(5)
Charge governmental agencies of the County of Ulster
and other municipalities which participate in the Ulster County Records
Center for records management services such fees as may be approved
by the Legislature.
[Amended 8-17-2010 by L.L. No. 3-2010]
There shall be a Records Advisory Board designated
to work closely with and provide advice to the Records Management
Officer. The Board shall consist of a representative from the majority
and minority parties of the County Legislature, selected by the Chairperson
of the Legislature, the County Administrator or designee, the Director
of Information Services, the County Historian, the President of the
County Historical Society or designee, the President of the Genealogical
Society or designee, a representative of the media appointed by the
Chairperson of the Legislature, and the Commissioner of Finance. The
Board shall meet periodically and have the following powers and duties:
A.
Provide advice to the Records Management Officer 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 Records Management
Officer for records not covered by State Archives' schedules.
D.
Provide advice on the appraisal of records for archival
value.
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 article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Those official records which have been determined by the
Officer and Advisory Board to have sufficient historical or other
value to warrant their continued preservation by the County.
[Amended 8-17-2010 by L.L. No. 3-2010]
Any documents, books, papers, photographs, sound recordings,
microfilm, 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 under the jurisdiction of the
Ulster County Clerk 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.
[Amended 8-17-2010 by L.L. No. 3-2010]
The planning, controlling, directing, organizing, training,
promotion and other managerial activities involved in records maintenance,
use and disposition, including records preservation, disposal, records
centers or other storage facilities.
Making records which are the property of a particular agency
available to the agency for official use, as well as making nonconfidential
or historical records available to the public.
