PLACEMENT: Departmental
TITLE:
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PUBLIC RECORDS PROGRAM UPDATE
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, requires local governments to maintain public records and provide access to those records upon request within a reasonable time, subject to applicable exemptions and privileges. Staff will update the Board on the status of the public records program.
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DEPARTMENT: Administration
PREPARED BY: Name: Sangeeta Maragh
Title: Records Administrator
REQUESTED BY: Kimberlee Levee, Chief of Staff
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
A public record is any record that is made or received by the County that transmits, communicates, or memorializes official county business. Public records exist in a variety of formats, including but not limited to text messages, chat messages, emails, scanned documents, audio files, social media posts, and other various electronic or written files, regardless of where they are kept, ex. on cell phones, computers, iPad, etc., or whether those devices are personal or County-issued.
In 2016, the Martin County Board of County Commissioners approved establishing a comprehensive public records program to centralize public records functions within the County. At that time, due to obligations under Chapter 119 of the Florida Public Records Act, it was determined that with the increased use of electronic communication methods, public record maintenance and request fulfillment would become very complex, and an established, centralized public records protocol and procedures process was necessary to help strengthen the County’s defense in the event of public records-related litigation.
The Records Administrator (RA) leads the division and is responsible for auditing the County’s public record procedures, training staff, and maintaining software to ensure statutory compliance. The RA also serves as the County’s Records Management Liaison Officer (RMLO). Every agency is required by law to appoint an RMLO to serve as a point of contact between the agency and the Division of Library and Information Services’ records management program. This position oversees the development and proper implementation of document destruction policies and schedules, in accordance with the retention schedule policies set forth by the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services.
The team is tasked with the development and implementation of statutorily compliant public records policies and procedures for document maintenance, transmission, destruction and public records fulfillment; to develop and implement a testing program to ensure successful employee training; and to complete specialized training, as necessary, to achieve and maintain competency for each member’s respective function. The policies and procedures are to be reviewed and revised as necessary. The team is also responsible for the fulfillment of public records requests that may contain exempt or confidential information, that will take longer than 30 minutes to produce, or that involve multiple departments or divisions.
The Team has been diligently working on the tasks set by the Board and is presenting this update to inform the County of the Division’s accomplishments, progress and future goals.
A PowerPoint presentation will be provided via Supplemental Memo.
ISSUES:
None.
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
None.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
Hear the presentation.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
None.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☐Resolution
☐Other: