HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-1 � C �
� ��. ==_-� Admanistratove Procedures (12-1 �
, ��.�!�;� � MOHAVE COUNTY — E-mail Retention
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Responsible Department: Information Technology ,
Effective Date: July 1, 2008 Signed:
Revision Date: March 1, 2010 Ron Walker , County Manager
PURPOSE: To identify and outline the method and process the county will utilize for the retention
of electronic mail (e-mail).
SCOPE: This administrative procedure applies to all Mohave County employees.
POLICY: All e-mail in the live GroupWise email system will be maintained for a period of not to
exceed 180 days. Every six months (180 days) the Information Technology Department will purge
all e-mail from the live system. Messages stored in the GWArchive system will be kept for a
period of not to exceed two years. Every two years the IT Department will purge all e-mail from
the GWArchive system.
E-mail is a method of communicating information and does not in and of itself constitute a public
record under the Arizona Revised Statutes. However, information transmitted by e-mail may
become a public record if it meets definition in A.R.S. 41-1350, i.e., if it is information made or
received in the transaction of public business by a state agency. If information transmitted by e-
mail meets the definition of a"public record" then it may not be deleted or otherwise disposed of
except in accordance with a records retention schedule approved by the Arizona State Library,
Archives and Public Records. The content and intent of the e-mail message determines its
retention requirement.
DEFINITIONS:
Electronic mail (e-mail) the use of a computer network to send and receive messages, either
locally or more widely (via the Internet)
GroupWise The e-mail system the county currently utilizes for electronic mail.
GWArchive The archive solution currently utilized for the purposes of archive e-mail stored
in GroupWise.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. The legal custodian of an e-mail will normally be the originator, provided that person is a
county employee; othenNise, it will be the individual to whom the message is addressed
once the message is received. The legal custodian is the person responsible for ensuring
compliance with the appropriate records retention schedule.
2. Although most agencies also periodically back up information residing on system hard
drives, this is not done for archival purposes or to meet the requirement for Public Records
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Ad r� i n istrat�ve P roced u res ('� 2-1)
MOHAVE COUNTY — E-mail Retention
retention but as a safety measure in case of system failure or unlawful tampering
("hacking"). The system administrator is not the legal custodian of inessages that may be
included in such back up files. While Mohave County e-mail servers are provided to
facilitate the delivery of e-mail and permit archiving of e-mail messages, the legal
responsibility for retention and archiving rests in the legal custodian.
3. If the legal custodian of the e-mail leaves employment, it is the responsibility of the relevant
supervisor or administrator to ensure that any e-mail remaining on the computer is retained
or disposed of in compliance with this regulation and Mohave County's approved records
retention and disposition schedule. The department administrator should ensure that such
action is taken before an e-mail account is closed.
PROCEDURES: While the methods for reviewing, storing or deleting e-mail may vary,
compliance with the retention requirements may be accomplished by doing one of the following:
1. Retention of Hard Copy. Print the e-mail and store the hard copy in the relevant subject
matter file as would b done with any other hard copy communication. Printing the e-mail
permits maintenance of all the information on a particular subject matter on one central
location, enhancing its historical and archival value.
2. Electronic Storage of E-Mail. Electronically store the e-mail in a file on a disk, or a
server, so that it may be maintained and stored according to its content definition under the
unit's records retention policy.
3. Storage of the Message in the Automated Archive. Any e-mail that meets the criteria to
be retained may be moved into the "Cabinet" or any sub folder beneath the cabinet, within
GroupWise. At which time, the automated archive system utilized by Information
Technology, will publish the record to the e-mail archive repository. All items in the e-mail
archive repository will remain there for a period not to exceed two years.
For public records retention purposes, e-mail messages generally fall into the following two
categories:
4. E-mail of limited or transitory value. Some e-mail is of limited or transitory value. For
example, a message seeking dates for a proposed meeting has little or no value after the
meeting date has been set. Retention of such messages in the computer system serves
no purpose and takes up space. Such messages may be deleted as they no longer serve
an administrative purpose.
5. E-mail containing information having lasting value. E-mail is sometimes used to
transmit records having lasting value. For example, e-mail about interpretations of an
agency's policies or regulations may be the only record of that subject matter. Such
records should be transferred to another medium and appropriately filed, thus permitting e-
mail records to be purged at regular intervals.
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�4clrn��istratAVe Proced�a�es (12-1)
MOHAVE COUNTY — E-mail Retention
IMPLEMENTATION: The Information Technology Department will automatically delete e-mail
messages and items older than 180 days. The legal custodian is responsible for preserving public
records including e-mail, notwithstanding any backup by the computer network, by following the
procedures set forth in Section 5, before the expiration of the 180 day period.
APPLICABILITY: This e-mail retention policy is only applicable to those users that have e-mail
accounts supported by the Information Technology Department.
COMMENTS: For additional information and guidelines regarding the retention and disposition of
e-mail messages, legal custodians of e-mail messages should consult the County Records
Manager or the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records web site www.azlibrary_gov.
Any records that are subject to audit proceedings or that relate to pending or probable litigation
must be retained until the final conclusion of the government investigation, audit or litigation,
regardless of an approved disposition schedule that would permit earlier disposition.
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