DATE: October 31, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Brandi L. Orth, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters
Margaret Mims, Sheriff-Coroner
SUBJECT: Records Retention Schedule for Sheriff-Coroner and Destruction of Records
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Records Retention Schedule No. S-1275-01, dated October 31, 2017, and Resolution authorizing the destruction of specified records belonging to Sheriff- Coroner (4/5 vote).
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Due to technology changes, approval of the recommended action will allow the Sheriff-Coroner to manage their records, discharge the County Clerk’s duplicative duty to scan, maintain and store the Coroner’s records.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could choose to not approve this action, which would result in the December 7, 1999 Records Retention Schedule No. S-1275-01 remaining in effect.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
In March 1998, your Board approved the development of a Fresno County Records Management Program under the direction of the County Clerk. The purpose of the program is to manage records, including indexing, storage, development of retention schedules, destruction of records, and protection of historic records.
On December 7, 1999, your Board approved the Coroner-Public Administrator Records Retention Schedule (RRS), S-1275.01. In 1999 the Coroner did not have the technology to scan and maintain documents. The County Clerk possessed scanning technology. This Retention Schedule formalized the process of the Coroner-Public Administrator sending the original paper autopsy reports and/or inquests to the County Clerk. The Coroner-Public Administrator would maintain a photocopy of the original autopsy report. The County Clerk would scan the original documents and maintain both original paper and scanned documents.
In recent years, the Sheriff-Coroner has acquired the technology necessary to scan and maintain their documents. Approval of Records Retention Schedule No. S-1275-01, dated October 31, 2017 will eliminate duplicative work for both Sheriff-Coroner and County Clerk, while memorializing the Sheriff-Coroner as the official holder of autopsy and inquest records. Records Retention Schedule No. S-1275-01, dated October 31, 2017 will supersede Records Retention Schedule No. S-1275-01, dated December 7, 1999.
In accordance with the provisions of Fresno County Board of Supervisors Administrative Policy Number 6, and CAO Management Directive 434, approval will authorize the disposal of certain records following mandatory retention requirements, thereby enabling the County to reduce the cost of storage for obsolete material while ensuring that administrative, fiscal, legal, and other recordkeeping responsibilities are met.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
Pursuant to County policy, this recommendation has also been reviewed and approved by County Counsel (legal review); Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector (fiscal and audit review); Historical Landmarks and Records Advisory Commission and County Librarian (historical/archival review).
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #18, December 7, 1999
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Resolution
On file with Clerk - Attachment A
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander