Records and Information

Management
in the
City of Chattanooga:
The Past,
the Present,
and the Future

a little perspective...30 years ago in 1985

PIC OF DOCUMENTS FROM CITY

Documents in boxes and

file cabinets throughout
the City

current condition of city records

Unmanaged records create risk.

goal

End the keep

everything culture
and become
proactive about the
retention and
disposition of City
information.

Phase 1
Adopt Record and Information Management
(RIM) Policy

strategy

Create Record and Information Management

(RIM) Team to establish oversight
Revise the existing retention Schedule --MTAS
Guidelines + Department-specific business
needs

Create
Records and Information Management (RIM) Team

Assign
Roles & Responsibilities--Records Liaison

the policy

Train
Step-by-Step instructions for how to apply the schedule and
prepare for disposition

Dispose
A documented and defensible process created by
experienced, certified records managers

the revised schedule

Organizing the Closet
What do we keep?
Why do we keep it?
How long do we keep it?
How long should we keep it?
Where should it be kept?

mtas & citys revised schedule

MTAS Guidelines

Citys Revised Schedule

Categorized by subject

Assigns Department Custodians

No specific record custodians identified

Not specific to the City of Chattanoogas
business operations

Assigns categories to documents

retained for business need
Standardizes retention periods
New schedules for OMA, IT & YFD

Phase 2

strategy

Enlist the guidance of a Certified

Records Manager/Consultant for
best practices

To help develop a professional and

comprehensive Records Management
program for the duration of the lifecycle,
regardless of its format paper or
electronic
Comply with recordkeeping
requirements to minimize regulatory
risks across physical and electronic
records
Minimize litigation risk in light of new
legislative requirements regarding
electronic information

why a consultant?

past governmental clients

who is imerge?

City of San Jose, CA

State of Wyoming
State of Idaho Archives & Records
Madison, WI
Over 30+ other govt. agencies

past corporate clients

NISSAN North America

TMI Hospitality
Bridgestone/Firestone
East River Power
Eaton Corp.

december: Consultant onboarding / data gathering

deliverables

january:

Physical Inventory Plan Review /

Training of Records Liaisons

february:

Completion of Ongoing Disposition of

Physical Records including selecting
records available for destruction

march/april: Database integration of the inventory

information with the Citys existing
Records Retention Schedule

processes & procedures

(consultant)

next steps

employee training
phase 3: Document Destruction,
Compliance & Automation

problem
a Keep Everything culture

goal
Proactively manage records and
information for the City

recap

outcomes
Policy, Team & Review Process
Revised Schedule
A trained staff
Defensible Disposition Process

q&a