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Update regarding implementation of recommendation pursuant to the Grand Jury Report “A Delicate Balance between Knowledge and Power: Government Transparency and the Public’s Right to Know” (Rosa Govea Acosta, City Clerk)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council receive an informational update on records management practice, as the final task to close out requests of the Grand Jury Report entitled, “A Delicate Balance between Knowledge and Power: Government Transparency and the Public’s Right to Know.”
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
On October 26, 2022, the City Council received a report and approved the City Clerk’s response to the Grand Jury Report “A Delicate Balance between Knowledge and Power: Government Transparency and the Public’s Right to Know”. The report detailed issues with how cities in San Mateo County meet the requirements of inspection or disclosure of governmental records as required by the California Public Records Act (PRA). The City was asked to respond to one finding (F2) and one recommendation (R4) of the Grand Jury report as noted below (Attachment B).
The Grand Jury’s findings were as follows:
F2. The city uses a commercially available software application that includes a web portal enabling the public to easily request records and track their disposition.
Response: The City agreed with this finding. The City utilizes GovQA, public records request software, as its public records request portal. Members of the public can submit a request via the portal, the portal automatically acknowledges and provides an update on the request within ten days. The portal is accessible on the City Clerk’s webpage.
The Grand Jury’s recommendations were as follows:
R4. By June 30, 2023, the city council should direct city staff to review and consider adopting a records management practice analogous to the City of San Mateo's "Records Cleanup Day."
Response: The recommendation refers to the City of San Mateo’s annual cleanup, “Records Cleanup Day,” records management practice. The City Clerk’s Office will host a “Records Cleanup Day” on Thursday, August 10, 2023, to allow departments to upload documents to the city’s Laserfiche repository more effectively and reduce paper copies when possible (Attachment A).
Laserfiche is the city’s trusted system and digital record repository. Public records uploaded to the repository are immediately available to the public and staff. In addition, the City Clerk’s office will begin to update the city’s 2016 Records Retention Schedule to digitalize records. Records such as ordinances, resolutions, minutes, and other official documents are digitalized and permanently retained.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
Acceptance of this resolution meets Strategic Goal #2 by improving community accessibility to government records.
CONCLUSION
Receive this informational records management practice update as the final task to close out requests of the Grand Jury Report entitled, “A Delicate Balance between Knowledge and Power: Government Transparency and the Public’s Right to Know.”