Johnston County Records Management and Retention Policy

10 Johnston County Records Management and Retention Policy Johnston County adopts the current addition of the Records Retention and Disposition Schedule of the State of North Carolina except for those more stringent exceptions and changes set out herein E - Mails and Other Electronic Data Electronic data , such as e - mails , are generally considered public records and should be treated in the same way as written documents Some electronic data , especially certain e - mails , do not have any long term value and therefore , do not fall within the category of public records For example , an e - mail suggesting a meeting for 9 00 am the following morning has no value the following afternoon and therefore may be deleted in the same way that a handwritten note with the same information could be discarded Please be advised that e - mail records and data are not personal but are property of Johnston County and backup documents may also be considered public records Record Retention Policy All Johnston County records must be maintained for a period of five 5 years unless it is a record set out in the exceptions listed below Please note that these records may be maintained in either electronic or paper version It should be noted that all building inspection department records shall be maintained for a period of at least six 6 years Many tax records must be maintained for a period of ten 10 years Records that otherwise may be disposed of consistent with this schedule but which have an unusual and significant historical value should be maintained permanently No record involved in pending audits and or legal proceedings may be destroyed until no longer needed for the audit and or legal proceedings Records should be protected upon receipt of sufficient and adequate written notice of pending action [ Note Any records destroyed consistent with the State’s Records Retention and Disposition Schedule set sooner than the time frame set out here within shall not be deemed a violation of the Public Records Act ] All non - permanent records may be kept in any format , paper or electronic , and therefore , paper documents may be destroyed when secured electronic copies are available Permanent documents are those documents of significant , historical and legal significance that are required to be maintained permanently [ See NC Gen Stat § 121 - 5 ] Permanent records must include a paper or microfilmed duplicate This requirement only applies to “ permanent records ” ; all other records may be in any form , including electronically scanned For Johnston County Government , this list includes minutes of governing boards such as Johnston County Board of Commissioners minutes , court records , certain tax records and those documents retained by the Register of Deeds office The list of governing board minutes which are deemed “ permanent ” are set out below Files which pertain to active or ongoing matters should be retained until no longer deemed active ; the disposal policy for these records run from such time as the record is deemed inactive [ Note Documents retained by the Register of Deeds office are subject to specific and detailed statutory requirements and are not included within the scope of this policy Veterans Records , such as case management records , benefit applications and eligibility records , tend to remain active until the applicant and or veteran is deceased ]PageEXCEPTIONS Governing Boards - Minutes Retention Schedule ? Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Bentonville Community Building Board of Trustees ? Board of Equalization and Review ? Economic Development Commission ? Industrial Facility Pollution Control Financial Authority ? JC Criminal Justice Partnership Advisory Board ? JC Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee ? JC Livestock Arena management Board ? JC Emergency Food and Shelter Board ? JC Airport Authority ? JC Area Mental Health Board ? JC Board of Adjustments ? JC Board of Health ? JC Heritage Commission ? JC Planning Board ? Juvenile Crime Prevention Council ? Local Emergency Planning Commission SARA ? Moccasin Creek Service District Board ? Nursing Home Adult Care Home Community Advisory Board ? Pleasant Grove Community Building Board of Trustees ? Research and Training Zone Advisory Committee ? Veterans Services Advisory Board ? Voluntary Agricultural District Advisory Board General Exceptions for All Departments Type of Document Retention Schedule ? Performance Audit Reports Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Grant Contract Appeals Records 10 years ? Escheats and Unclaimed Property Files 10 years ? Financial Audits 10 years • Accounts Payable Invoices and Travel Reimbursements 3 years • Bank Statements , Cancelled Checks , Deposit Slips , and Receipts 3 yearsPage• Tax - Exempt Obligations Debt and Continuing Disclosure Maintained as long as debt is outstanding plus 7 years ? Personnel Timesheets Attendance Records 30 years ? Tax Withholding Files 30 years ? Blueprints for Government Structures Li fe of the Structure ? Dangerous Animal Records 10 years or until animals death ? Ambulance Call Reports ACR Patient Care Reports PCR [ Emergency Management Records ] 11 years ? Fire Investigation Records 10 years ? Employee Exposure to Hazardous Medical Substances Records eg Asbestos exposure 40 years ? Official Personnel Record 30 years ? Material Safety Data Sheets MSDS 30 years ? Solid Waste Management Violations 7 years ? Agricultural , Horticultural and Forestlan d Deferred Taxes 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Valuation of Property owned by Railroads , Public Utilities , etc 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Real Property Records Uniformed Property Rec ords , paper and electronic 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Reports by Multi - County Business Taxpayer Files 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Reports by Trailer Parks , Marinas & Aircraft Facil ities Files 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Reports of Persons Having Custody of Tangible Property of Others 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Reports to the Department of Administration on Pr operty Listed in Name of Unknown Owner Files 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Revaluation Records 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Special Assessment Records 10 years or two revaluations cy cles , whichever occurs first ? Tax Abstract List 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs firstPage? Uniformed Schedule of Values , Standards and Rules 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Aerial Survey Photographs & Maps Destroy upon State Archives approval ? GIS Real Property Records 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Real Property Parcel Records 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first ? Motor Vehicle Scrolls a nd Books 10 years ? Tax Abstracts and List for Motor Vehicles 10 years or two revaluations cycles , whichever occurs first Health Department Records Many Health Department Records must be forwarded to various State and Federal agencies such as the CDC or NCDHHS Please be mindful of when and what information must be transferred to these State and Federal agencies Type of Document Retention Schedule ? Health Board Minutes Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Regulations and Ordinances Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Public Hearing Minutes Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Public Bids for Purchase of Pr oducts and Services 6 years ? Offline Storage Library Control Records Records concerning the control , location , maintenance and disposition of offline storage media Must be maintained permanently in any form , including electronic ? Records Manageme nt Files All documentation regarding the disposition of records Must be maintained permanently in any form , including electronic ? Insurance Policies 6 years ? HIPPA Records including all protected Health information records 6 yearsPagePage pageNumber5? Home Healt h Advisory Board Minutes Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Dental Patient Records 10 years ? Immunization Records which have not been forwarded to NC Immunization Registry 10 years after last date of service ? Maternal Health Records Until child reaches the age of 28 and has not received services in last 10 years which ever comes later ? Abortion Records 10 years ? Patient Clinical Records including STD HIV AIDS records 10 ye ars ? Tuberculosis Records Life of the Patient plus 10 years from date of last service ? X - Ray and Other Digital Radiology Imagery 10 years from date of last service Johnston County Mental Health Department All Local Management Entities LMEs including Johnston County Mental Health must comply with the “ Records Management and Documentation Manual for Providers of Publicly Funded MA DD SA Services ” published by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services As with the Health Department , the Mental Health Department has requirements as to confidentiality records and reporting requirements to State and Federal agencies Mental Health personnel should be cognizant of these responsibilities and should contact the County Attorney’s office should any question arise as to the release of information or requirements to forward information to another State or Federal entity or questions regarding retention and disposition Type of Document Retention Schedule ? Johns ton County Board of Mental Health Minutes Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Client Records Regarding Minors Minor Clients who are no longer receiving services 12 years after the Minor reaches the age of majority ? Administration Records Retained in the Office Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm versionPagePage pageNumber6? Death Registers Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version Note All records for Minors should be considered active until the Minor reaches the age of majority Department of Social Services Type of Document Retention Schedule ? Johnst o n County Social Services Board Minutes Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Ordinances and Regulations Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Public Hearing Records Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Adopt ion Case Files Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version ? Foster Home Facility and Recruitment Records Permanent Records ; retained records must include a paper or microfilm version Disposition All confidential or sensitive records should be destroyed through shredding Other records may be destroyed in any effective manner Adopted by the Board of Commissioners this the 1st day of December , 2008 Amended by the Board of Commissioners this the 4th day of April , 2016 Amendments are documented in the April 4 , 2016 10 00 AM Regular Meeting Minutes of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners Page