S Records Retention and Dispositon Schedule

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MANAGING PUBLIC RECORDS IN NORTH CAROLINA Q. what ~s this "records retention and dxs~pos~t~on schedu.~e"? A. This document is a tool fox the employees of county governments across the state to use when managing the xecoxds in their offices. Tt lists xecoxds commonly found in county offices, and gives an assessment of their value by indicating when and ~ those xecoxds should be destroyed. This schedule is also an agreement between your county and the Department of Cultural Resources. This schedule sues as the inventory and schedule that the Depa~rtm.ent of Cultural Resources is directed by . G.S. ~~.Z~.-5 ~c} and G.S. ~~32_g to provide. ~t supersedes all previous editions, including all amendments. Q. 'C~hy do .~ need this schedule? .A. According to G.S. ~~21~5 and G.S. X32-3, you may only destroy public xecoxds with the consent ofthe Department of Cultural Resources. This schedule is the primary way DCR gives its consent. ~'lithout approving this schedule, your county is obligated to obtain. permission to~destroy ate record, no matter how insignificant. Q. .F.~aw do .~ get ~t a~~arov~ed~ • .A.. This schedule must be approved by the County Board of Commissioners for use in your county. That approval should be made in a regular sneering and recorded as an action in the minutes. It may be done as part of the consent agenda, by resolution, or other action. Q. .Do .~ have to have a.~~ of the records fisted on this schedule? .A.. No. This is not a list of xecoxds you must have in your office. Q. ~ can't find some of my records an this sched~xlle. A. Call the Records Management Analyst assigned to your county. Cie will. work with you to amend this records schedule sa that you may destroy records appropriately. Q. what are pub.~ic records? .~. 't'he Getseral Statut~,~ of .North Caralitra, Chapter 132, provides this definition of public records: "Public record" or "public records" shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic ox other tapes, electronic data processing xecoxds, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form ox characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connectson with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions. Agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions shall mean and include every public office, public officer or officialState or local, elected or appointed, institution, board, commission, bureau, council, department, authority or other unit of government of the State or of any county, unit, special district or other political subdivision of government. Q. Gan anyone see .any records? .A. Yes, except as restricted by specific provisions in state or federal law. G.S. ~~32~6 instructs: "Every custodian of public xecoxds shah permit any record in the custodian's custody to be inspected and examined at reasonable times and under reasonable supervision by any person, and shah, as promptly as possible, furnish copies thereof upon payment of any fees as may be prescribed by law ... No person requesting to inspect and examine public xecoxds, ox to obtain copies thereof, shall be required to disclose the purpose ox motive fox the request" Qr 't'hat about .my confident~a.~ records? .A. Not all government records are open to public inspecfion. Exceptions to the access requirements in G.S. ~132- ~ and the definition of public xecoxds in G.S. ~132~1 are found throughout the General Statutes. You must be able to cite a specific provision in the General Statutes vx federal law when you restrict ox deny access to a particular record. iii