Help with Town Records Retention

Which Retention Schedules Do Towns Use?

1. Local Government Common Records Retention Schedule (CORE) v.5.0 (October 2024)
2. Animal Services Records Retention Schedule v.2.0 (October 2013)
3. Cemeteries Records Retention Schedule v.1.0 (November 2012)
4. District and Municipal Courts Records Retention Schedule v.7.0 (October 2023)
5. Economic Development and Transport Records Retention Schedule v.1.2 (August 2021)
6. Emergency Communications (911) Records Retention Schedule v.1.0 (November 2012)
7. Fire and Emergency Medical Records Retention Schedule v.2.1 (August 2022)
8. Land Use Planning and Permitting Records Retention Schedule v.2.1 (June 2024)
9. Law Enforcement Records Retention Schedule v.8.0 (February 2022)
10. Licensing, Permitting and Taxation Records Retention Schedule v.1.0 (November 2012)
11. Parks, Recreation, and Culture Records Retention Schedule v.2.0 (August 2021)
12. Prosecuting Attorneys Records Retention Schedule v.2.2 (August 2023)
13. Public Health Records Retention Schedule v.4.2 (April 2021)
14. Social Services Records Retention Schedule v.2.0 (October 2023)
15. Utility Services Records Retention Schedule v.1.5 (June 2021)

Click to expand each topic...

Basics of Records Retention...

• What Are Records Retention Schedules?
• What Are Records Series?
• How Are Records Retention Periods Determined?
• What is an Archival Record?
• What is a Non-Archival Record?

Help Finding the Right Retention...

• How to Navigate Records Retention Schedules
• How to Determine the Correct Records Series
• How to Choose Between Multiple Records Series
• Searching Techniques for Records Retention Schedules Video (3 minutes)

How Long to Keep...

• Backups
• Body Cam Recordings (Police)
• Chat/Instant Messaging
• COVID-19 Contact Tracing Logs and Screening Records
• COVID-19 Pandemic Records
• COVID-19 Vaccination Verification Records
• Dash Cam Recordings (Police)
• Database Records
• Drone Operations Records

• Drone Recordings (Non-Police)
• Drone Recordings (Police)
• Emails
• Law Enforcement Personnel Records
• Meeting Recordings
• Position Recruitment Records
• Public Records Request Logs
• Public Records Requests
• Radar Calibration Records (Police)
• Social Media Posts
• Text Messages
• Utility Discounts/Tax Exemptions
• Utility Locates
• Voicemails

Strategies for...

• Applying Retention Schedule Updates
• Applying Retention to Subject Files
• Managing Chat/Instant Messaging Retention
• Managing Sensitive Payment Cardholder Data
• Managing Sex Offender Case Records
• Managing Smart Meter Data/Records
• Managing Social Media Records Retention
• Managing Voicemail Retention

Transitory Records...

• Examples of Common Records with Minimal Retention
• What Does "Until No Longer Needed for Agency Business" Mean?
• Why Isn't There Just One "Transitory" Records Series?

Other Advice...

• Difference Between Administrative and Core Mission Policies/Procedures
• Impact of Public Records Requests on Records Retention
• Notorious/Historically Significant Case Files/Inmate Records
• Notorious/Historically Significant Legal Case Files
• What are Personnel Files?
• What Does "Exhaustion of Appeals Process" Mean?
• What To Do With Non-Work-Related Appointments in Calendars
• What To Do With Public Defender Case Files and Indigence Determination Records
• Which Records Series (DAN) Do Law Enforcement Agencies Use for Employee Misconduct Records?
• Why are Public Records Requests Kept for 2 Years?

Training...

• Basics of Managing Law Enforcement Records Training
• Retention Schedules "Demystified" (Recorded Webinar - April 2015 - 40 minutes)