HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated December 17, 2024ITEM #:4
DATE:12-17-24
DEPT:ADMIN
SUBJECT:RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
The City's Records Retention Schedule outlines requirements to preserve certain records for various
lengths of time, depending on the nature of the record. The schedule balances the importance of
retaining each type of record for future reference with the resources required to catalog, store, and
maintain a considerable volume of papers. The existing schedule, originally adopted in 1998, was
revised in its entirety on July 12, 2011, and the most recent updates occurred in 2014.
City staff initiated a review of the schedule, utilizing a template provided by the Iowa League of Cities.
The Iowa League schedule provides functional categories common to a majority of Iowa municipalities.
The recommended retention periods take into account requirements of the Code of Iowa, the Iowa
Administrative Code, and Federal Law, and is revised as these state and federal regulations change. In
addition, the Iowa League schedule allows for customization for unique records and requirements
specific to the City of Ames.
Staff consulted with several peer cities and found that they have adopted schedules based on the Iowa
League template as well. A draft Records Retention Schedule has been prepared and is attached for the
Council's consideration. If approved by the City Council, the new Records Retention Schedule would go
into effect on January 1, 2025.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Adopt the attached City of Ames Records Retention Schedule, effective January 1, 2025.
2. Do not approve the attached Records Retention Schedule.
3. Refer this item to staff for further information.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopting the schedule provided by the Iowa League of Cities, with local modifications, will help ensure
that City staff provides requested documents in the most accurate and cost-efficient manner. Therefore,
it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1, as described
above.
ATTACHMENT(S):
FINAL 2025 Records Retention Manual.pdf
1
R E C O R D S
R E T E NT I O N
M a n u a l f o r R e c o r d s M a n a g e m e n t E f f e c t i v e J a n u a r y 1 , 2 0 2 5
City Clerk’s Office
515.239.5105
www.CityOfAmes.org
515 Clark Ave., Ames, IA 50010
2
Schedule 1: Administrative and Legal Records .....................................................................................................1
Schedule 2: Financial Records ...............................................................................................................................7
Schedule 3: Payroll and Personnel Records .........................................................................................................10
Schedule 4: Public Works Records ......................................................................................................................12
Schedule 5: Fire Department Records ..................................................................................................................17
Schedule 6: Parks and Recreation Records ..........................................................................................................18
Schedule 7: Airport Records.................................................................................................................................19
Schedule 8: Library Records ................................................................................................................................20
Schedule 9: Planning and Housing Records .........................................................................................................21
Schedule 10: Police Records ................................................................................................................................23
Schedule 11: Engineering Records .......................................................................................................................25
Schedule 12: Transit Records ...............................................................................................................................26
Schedule 13: Electric Utility Records ...................................................................................................................29
Schedule 14: Water Utility Records .....................................................................................................................39
Schedule 15: Gas Utility Records .........................................................................................................................43
Appendix ..............................................................................................................................................................44
Records Management .........................................................................................................................................44
The Five Steps of Records Management ............................................................................................................47
Managing Electronic Records ............................................................................................................................50
3
Record Title Retention Period Reason
I. Council Proceedings
A. Minutes
1. Official Copy Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
2. Working Copies As long as administratively useful Administrative value ends
3. Index Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
4. Audio Recordings and
minutes of Closed
Sessions
1 year from the date of the meeting,
unless required to retain due to
pending litigation
Code of Iowa, 21.5(4).
Administrative and legal value ends.
5. Agendas 5 years Administrative value ends
B. Ordinances
1. Current code Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
2. Superseded Code Two copies permanent Continuing historical value
3. Index Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
4. Individual Copies of
Ordinances for
Disbursement
Until superseded Administrative and legal value ends
C. Resolutions
1. Official Copy Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
2. Working Copies As long as administratively useful Administrative value ends
3. Index Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
D. Affidavits of Publication
1. Re: Budget Until audited or 5 years Fiscal and legal value ends
2. Re: Ordinances Until recodification Fiscal and legal value ends
3. Re: Bond Issues Permanent Continuing legal and historical
value
4. Others 5 years Fiscal and legal value ends
E. Oaths of Office If in writing, add to the official
copy of Council minutes for
permanent retention
Continuing legal and historical
value
F. City Official Bonds 5 years after expiration Legal value ends
G. Communications re: floods of
1990 & 1993
Permanent Continuing historical value
H. Correspondence re: perpetual
care of Daley Park
Permanent Continuing historical value
I. Time capsule – Stuart Smith Park Permanent Continuing historical value
4
Record Title Retention Period Reason
II. City Manager Records
A. Boards and Commissions
1. Ames Human Relations
Commission (AHRC)
5 years Administrative value ends
2. Ames International Partner City
Association, Inc. (AIPCA)
Permanent Continuing administrative value
3. Analysis of Social Services
Evaluation Team (ASSET)
5 years Administrative value ends
4. Commission on the Arts (COTA) 5 years Administrative value ends
5. Public Art Commission (PAC) Permanent Continuing administrative value
B. Department Files
1. City Manager’s Office Permanent Continuing administrative value
2. CyRide Permanent Continuing administrative value
3. Electric Permanent Continuing administrative value
4. Fleet Services Permanent Continuing administrative value
5. Finance Permanent Continuing administrative value
6. Fire Permanent Continuing administrative value
7. Human Resources Permanent Continuing administrative value
8. Library Permanent Continuing administrative value
9. Legal Permanent Continuing administrative value
10. Parks and Recreation Permanent Continuing administrative value
11. Planning and Housing Permanent Continuing administrative value
12. Police Permanent Continuing administrative value
13. Public Works Permanent Continuing administrative value
14. Water and Pollution Control Permanent Continuing administrative value
C. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
1. Affirmative Action Compliance
Forms
5 years Administrative value ends
2. EEO-4 Report 5 years Administrative value ends
D. Legal Opinions Permanent Continuing administrative value
E. Studies and Reports Permanent Continuing administrative value
III. Real Property
A. Title Documents
1. Deeds Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
2. Title Opinions Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
3. Abstracts and Certificates of Title Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
4. Title Insurance Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
5
Record Title Retention Period Reason
5. Condemnation Proceedings Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative, and
historical value.
B. Easements and/or Right of Way
Agreements
Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative,
and historical value.
C. Plats (legal descriptions, maps,
plat books, both current and
outdated)
Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative,
and historical value.
D. Vacations/Alterations of Plat Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative,
and historical value.
E. Annexation Files Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing legal, administrative,
and historical value.
IV. Licenses and Permits
A. Cigarette 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
B. Dog or Cat 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
C. Liquor and Beer 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
D. Live Trap Permits 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
E. Restaurants 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
F. Miscellaneous Business (peddler,
taxi, mobile food trucks, etc.)
5 years Administrative and legal value ends
G. Special Events (parades,
festivals, etc.)
5 years Administrative and legal value ends
V. General
A. Accidents on City Property Involving City
1. Claims Settled out of Court 10 years after settlement Legal value ends
2. Court Decisions Permanent Continuing legal value
B. Bids
1. Accepted 5 years Legal and fiscal value ends
2. Rejected 5 years or 1 year after audit Legal and fiscal value ends
C. Blueprints or Plans for City-
Owned Structures
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
D. Cemetery Records, Burial
Records
Permanent Continuing historical value
E. Contracts or Agreements for
Services, Purchases of Equipment
or Supplies, Concessions
10 years after expiration Legal value ends
F. Correspondence As long as administratively useful;
appraise for permanent retention
Possible long-term administrative
use and historical value
G. Daily Diaries or Logs
(appointment calendars, telephone
or radio logs, task lists, etc.)
5 years Administrative value ends
H. Equipment Records
1. Inventories While current Administrative value ends
2. Maintenance History Life of equipment Administrative value ends
3. Cost of operation summaries 5 years Administrative value ends
6
Record Title Retention Period Reason
4. Information Service Records
a. Computer equipment inventory While current Administrative value ends
b. Telephone and mobile phone 5 years Administrative value ends
c. Depreciation reports and records 5 years Administrative value ends
d. Vendor information 5 years Administrative value ends
I. Franchise Agreements 5 years after expiration; appraise
for permanent retention
Legal value ends; possible
continuing historical and legal value
J. Insurance Policies 5 years after expiration Legal value ends
K. Leases 7 years after expiration; appraise
for permanent retention
Legal value ends; possible
continuing historical and legal value
L. Legal Actions
1. Civil Lawsuits and Administrative
Law Proceedings
5 years after closure Administrative and legal value ends
2. Criminal and Municipal Infraction
Cases – Closed
5 years Administrative value ends
3. Civil Case – Closed 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Citations 5 years Administrative value ends
M. Legal Opinions
1. Informal Opinions 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
2. Formal Opinions Permanent Continuing legal value
N. Maps, Current and Outdated
(road, street, zoning, park, flood
plain, topography, utilities, etc.)
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
O. Minutes of Boards and
Commissions
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
P. Notices Sent to Citizens to
Comply with Ordinances (including
nuisance abatement notices)
5 years after disposition Administrative and legal value ends
Q. Petitions from Citizens 5 years after issue closed; appraise
significant issues for permanent
retention
Administrative and legal value
ends; possible historical value
R. Promotional Materials
1. City Newsletters Permanent Continuing historical value
2. Advertising Contracts 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
3. Press Releases 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Pamphlets, Brochures Appraise for permanent retention Possible historical value
5. Resident Satisfaction Surveys Permanent Continuing historical value
6. Channel 12 digital recordings,
meetings and programs
5 years Administrative value ends
7. Channel 12 video, meetings 5 years Administrative value ends
S. Photos, Scrapbooks Appraise for permanent retention Possible historical value
T. Reports from Departments
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
U. Studies, Surveys
1. From an Outside Source As long as administratively useful Administrative value ends
2. Pertaining Directly to City Appraise for permanent retention Possible historical value
7
Record Title Retention Period Reason
V. Election Records
1. Precinct Maps, Current and
Outdated
Permanent Continuing historical value
2. City Elections
a. Election Petitions Permanent Continuing historical value
b. Abstracts Permanent Continuing historical value
VI. Police and Fire Retirement Records
A. Minutes of the Board Permanent Continuing administrative, legal,
and historical value
B. Reports
1. Actuary 5 years Fiscal value ends
2. Investment 5 years Fiscal value ends
3. Fund 5 years Fiscal value ends
C. Case File
(actions, appeals, decisions)
Permanent Continuing administrative, legal,
and historical value
VII. Finance/Purchasing Records
A. Leases
1. Agreements and Related
Documents Acted on by Council
Upon expiration, 5-year minimum Administrative value ends
2. Agreements not Requiring Council
Action
5 years after expiration, 5-year
minimum
Administrative value ends
B. Purchase Orders
1. Purchase Orders 10 years after order date or life of
purchase
Administrative value ends
2. Change Orders 10 years after order date Administrative value ends
C. Procurement Cards
1. Agreement with card provider Permanent or 10 years after
termination of contract
Administrative value ends
2. Cardholder Application and
agreement forms
5 years after account closed Administrative value ends
3. Account change/maintenance
requests
5 years after account closed Administrative value ends
4. Document relating to policy
violations
Permanent Administrative value ends
D. Purchase Requisitions
1. Requisitions for purchase orders
(electronic format)
10 years after requisition date Administrative value ends
E. Miscellaneous
1. Parking ticket processing
information
5 years Administrative value ends
2. Water/Sewer Contract
reconciliation
5 years Administrative value ends
3. Customer Master file While customer is active; 5 years for
inactive customers, 10 years if write
off balance
Administrative value ends
4. Customer charge/credit history Customer credit/charge history,
customer deposits and refund records
(electronic)
Administrative value ends
8
Record Title Retention Period Reason
C. Bids, Quotes and Proposals
1. Official Copy, Bid/Proposal RFP 10 years after completion of contract Administrative value ends
2. Copies of Bids Received and
Related Documents for Public
Improvement Projects and Acted
on by Council
10 years from issuance of documents:
some bids, quotes & proposal may be
retained permanently
Administrative value ends; continuing
administrative value
3. Copies of Bids Received and
Related Documents for Fleet
Equipment Acted on by Council
10 years from issuance of documents Administrative value ends
4. Copies of Bids Received and
Related Documents for Other
Equipment and Service Projects
Acted on by Council
10 years after completion of contract;
unaccepted bids: 1 year after
acceptance of winning bid
Administrative value ends
5. Originals of Bids, Quotes and
Proposals Received for Contracts
Not Awarded by Council
10 years from issuance of documents Administrative, grant and warranty
issues are active until equipment is
taken out of service
D. Printing Charges 5 years Administrative value ends
E. Central Stores
1. Stocks of Material Safety Data
Sheets for Distribution
30 years after last use Administrative value ends
2. Issue Slips After audit completion or at least 5
years
Administrative value ends
F. Materials Inventory Records
1. Issue Records 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Receipt Records 5 years Administrative value ends
3. Catalogued Inventory Physical
Count Records
After audit completion or at least 2
years
Administrative value ends
4. Catalogued Inventory Year-End
Exception/Adjustment Record
After audit completion or at least 2
years
Administrative value ends
5. Cataloged Inventory Adjustment
Record
After audit completion or at least 2
years
Administrative value ends
6. Non-catalogued Inventory
Physical Count Record
After audit completion or at least 2
years
Administrative value ends
7. Year-end Materials Inventory
Summary
After audit completion or at least 5
years
Administrative value ends
G. Interdepartmental Charges
1. Fax Charges After audit completion Administrative value ends
2. City Hall Copier Readings After audit completion Administrative value ends
3. Mail: Postage used reports,
charges, UPS Pickup records
After audit completion Administrative value ends
9
Record Title Retention Period Reason
I. Revenue
A. Notice of Property Tax
Allocation from County
5 years Fiscal value ends
B. Notice of Liquor Tax Allocation
from State
5 years Fiscal value ends
C. Property Tax Assessment Books Permanent Continuing historical value
D. Federal Revenue Sharing
Records
5 years Fiscal value ends
E. Investments
(Notice of interest earned or reports
of growth, dividends, purchase,
sales, etc.)
5 years Fiscal value ends
F. Parking Revenue
1. Income from Meters and Lots
(daily receipts, monthly
summaries, ledgers, deposit slips)
5 years Fiscal value ends
2. Income from Violations
(ticket copies, logs, daily receipts,
monthly summaries, deposit slips)
5 years Fiscal value ends
G. Road Use Tax Funds
1. Application for Financial Aid
(Forms 230001, 230002,
agreement, invoices, payment
vouchers, certificate of audit)
5 years Fiscal value ends
2. Annual Street Finance Report 5 years Fiscal value ends
3. Street Construction Program
(Form RUT 1-A, 220001, 220002)
5 years Fiscal value ends
4. Aerial Street Maps Permanent Continuing historical value
H. Claims for Refunds of State
Sales Tax
5 years Fiscal value ends
I. Claims for Refunds of State Fuel
Tax
5 years Fiscal value ends
J. Special Assessments
1. Certified Mail Stubs from Notice
to Property Owners
5 years after final payment Fiscal and legal value ends
2. Assessment Title Searches 5 years Fiscal and legal value ends
3. Preliminary and Fiscal
Assessment Schedules
5 years after final payment Fiscal and legal value ends
4. Petition and Waiver
(agreements to special
assessments)
5 years after final payment Fiscal and legal value ends
5. Assessment Plats 5 years after final payment Fiscal and legal value ends
6. Certificate of Levy and Final
Assessment
5 years after final payment Fiscal and legal value ends
K. Bond Issues and Proceedings
1. Bond Certificates 5 years after final recall Fiscal value ends
2. Redeemed Coupons 5 years after final recall Fiscal value ends
10
Record Title Retention Period Reason
3. Bond Register Permanent Code of Iowa, 372.13(5). Also
continuing administrative, legal, and
historical value
4. Proceedings (notice and call of
public meeting, minutes and
certificate of meeting, certificate
of referendum, legal opinions)
Code of Iowa, 372.13(5) and 76.10.
Also continuing administrative,
legal, and historical value
5. Remittance Advice Received with
Payments
5 years Fiscal value ends
L. Records of Federally Funded
Public Improvement Projects
(applications, contracts, accounting
and banking records, payroll,
EEO compliance records) Also see
Schedule 4, Public Works Records
5 years after final payment, if
audited
Fiscal value ends
II. Accounting
A. Source Documents
1. Accounts Payable
a. Requisitions 5 years Fiscal value ends
b. Purchase orders 5 years Fiscal value ends
c. Invoices, statements, bills 5 years Fiscal value ends
d. Claims presented to Council 5 years Fiscal value ends
e. Check/warrant copies or stubs 5 years Fiscal value ends
f. Vendor ledger cards 5 years Fiscal value ends
2. Accounts Receivable
a. Receipt copies or books 5 years Fiscal value ends
b. Daily cash receipt tabulation
(cash register tapes, tallies, etc.)
5 years Fiscal value ends
c. Invoices, statements, bills 5 years Fiscal value ends
B. Books of Original Entry
1. Receipt Journal 10 years Fiscal value ends
2. Disbursement Journal 10 years Fiscal value ends
3. General Journal 10 years Fiscal value ends
4. Appropriations Journal 10 years Fiscal value ends
C. Ledgers
1. General Ledger Permanent Continuing fiscal value
2. Subsidiary Revenue Ledger Cards 10 years Fiscal value ends
3. Subsidiary Appropriation/
Expenditure Cards
10 years Fiscal value ends
III. Banking
A. Checking Account Statements 5 years Fiscal value ends
B. Check/Warrant Register
(same as Disbursement Journal,
above)
10 years Fiscal value ends
C. Canceled Checks/Warrants 5 years Fiscal value ends
D. Savings Account Statements 5 years Fiscal value ends
E. Reconciliation Worksheets 5 years Fiscal value ends
11
Record Title Retention Period Reason
IV. Financial Reports
A. Annual Comprehensive
Financial Report (ACFR)
Permanent Continuing fiscal value
B. Treasurer’s/Clerk’s Report 5 years Fiscal value ends
C. Sales Tax and Use Tax Reports 5 years Statute of limitations on audit
D. Grant Reports 5 years after audit; 7 years if not
audited; grant terms if not stated
therein
Fiscal value ends
V. Audits Permanent Fiscal value ends
VI. Budget
A. Appropriation Requests from
Departments
5 years Fiscal value ends
B. Annual Budget Forms 5 years Fiscal value ends
C. Final Budget and Certificate
Summary
2 copies permanent Continuing fiscal and historical
value
D. Budget Amendments 2 copies permanent Continuing fiscal and historical
value
12
Record Title Retention Period Reason
I. Payroll
A. Payroll Journal
(shows name, SSN, earnings,
deductions, net pay/period and
yearly totals)
60 years Fiscal value ends
(satisfies long-term need for
future salary and pension
inquiries)
B. Payroll Support Documents 5 years Fiscal value ends
C. Federal Reporting Forms
1. W-2, W-3, W-4 5 years Fiscal value ends
2. 941E Quarterly Report 5 years Fiscal value ends
3. Copy of Deposit Card 5 years Fiscal value ends
4. 1099, 1096 5 years Fiscal value ends
D. State Reporting Forms
1. Withholding Agents Reports 5 years Fiscal value ends
2. Job Service Report 5 years Fiscal value ends
3. Copy of Deposit Card 5 years Fiscal value ends
4. IPERS 5 years Fiscal value ends
5. MFPRSI 5 years Fiscal value ends
II. Payroll
A. Individual Employee File
1. Job Description and History Permanent Continuing historical value
2. Application and Resume 60 years Administrative value ends
(satisfies the long-term need for
future inquiries)
3. Civil Service Test, Scores,
Placement
60 years Administrative value ends
4. Evaluations, Discipline,
Demotion, Promotion, Awards
5 years after termination Administrative value ends
5. Continuing Education 5 years after termination Administrative value ends
6. Medical Information
(separate file)
5years after termination Administrative value ends
7. Resignations, Reasons for Leaving
Service Records
Permanent Administrative value ends
8. Claim for IPERS 60 years Administrative value ends
9. Unemployment Insurance Claims 5 years after filing of claim Fiscal value ends
10. Garnishments Through closure plus 1 year Fiscal value ends
11. Enrollment for Direct Deposit,
Insurance, Savings Bonds, Etc.
While current, 5 years minimum Administrative value ends
12. Deferred Compensation
beneficiary
1-2 years then scan permanent Continuing historical value
13. Vanguard Beneficiary forms 1-2 years then scan permanent Continuing historical value
14. Centralized I9 (separate) 3 years after hire date, or one year
after the date employment ends,
whichever is later.
Administrative value ends
15. Volunteer Records 2 years after separation from the
City
13
Record Title Retention Period Reason
B. Applications of Those Not Hired 5 years Administrative value ends
C. Civil Service Records
1. Minutes of the Board or
Commission
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
2. Roster of Eligible Applicants 5 years Administrative value ends
3. Case Files
(actions, appeals, decisions)
10 years Legal value ends
D. Equal Employment Opportunity
1. EEO-4 Report 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Plans
a. City’s 5 years Administrative value ends
b. Potential contractors’ 5 years Administrative value ends
E. Health Insurance Payments,
Claims
5 years Administrative and fiscal value
ends
1. Employer’s Report 5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
2. OSHA Report 5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
3. Workers’ Compensation Reports 2 years from the date of occurrence
on which benefits are claimed or 3
years from the last payment of
weekly compensation benefits
Code of Iowa, 85.26; Legal value
ends
F. Union Records
1. Negotiations As long as administratively useful;
then appraise for permanent
retention
Administrative value ends; possible
historical value
2. Contracts 1-3 years or length of contract, then
scan
Continuing administrative and
historical value
3. Correspondence 1 year Administrative value ends
4. Fact Finding and Arbitration
Cases
5 years minimum then appraise for
permanent retention
Administrative value ends; possible
historical value
5. Case Files
(actions, appeals, decisions)
1-2 years then scan Legal value ends; possible historical
value
6. Grievances CONFIDENTIAL 1-2 years then scan Continuing historical value
7. Negotiations CONFIDENTIAL 1 year, then scan Continuing historical value
G. Public Service (PSE) Contracts,
Claims, Etc.
5 years Administrative and fiscal value
ends
H. Miscellaneous
1. Classification Studies 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. Compensation Surveys 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
3. Administrative Studies 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
4. Vanguard beneficiary forms 1-2 years then scan permanent Continuing historical value
5. Job Specifications Permanent Continuing historical value
6. Personnel Policies, Pay Plans, etc. Permanent Continuing historical value
7. Internal Investigations 10 years Administrative and legal value
ends; appraise for possible historical
value
14
Record Title Retention Period Reason
I. General Records Common to Engineering and Planning & Zoning Departments
A. Annexation Files Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
B. Maps, Current and Outdated
(road, street, zoning, park, flood
plain, topography, utilities, etc.)
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
C. Plats (subdivision, annexation,
assessors, legal descriptions, plat
books)
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
D. Studies or Surveys
1. From Outside Source As long as administratively useful Administrative value ends
2. Pertaining to City Appraise for permanent retention Possible historical value
E. Subdivision Files Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
II. Engineering Records
A. Blueprints or Plans of City
-Owned Structures
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
B. Bridge Records (inspection and
maintenance)
Life of structure Administrative value ends
C. Capital Improvement Projects
1. Authorization Phase 5 years Administrative value ends
a. Minutes of Hearing, Clerk’s
Certificate, Resolutions
Permanent (part of minute and
resolution books)
Continuing legal and historical
value
b. Specifications Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
c. Notice of Hearing and Letting
(proof of posting documents,
instructions to bidders, bid, bid
bond, performance bond,
certificate of insurance)
5 years after project completed, if
audited
Fiscal and legal value ends
d. Contract Life of structure Administrative and legal value ends
2. Financing Phase See Schedule 2, Financing Records
a. Special Assessments, Bond Issues, State or Federal Grants
3. Pre-Construction Phase
a. Appraisals 5 years after project completed; if
project not initiated, retain as
administratively useful
Administrative and fiscal value ends
b. Environmental Impact Surveys Appraise for permanent retention Administrative value ends
c. Historical Surveys of Buildings Appraise for permanent retention Possible historical value
d. Relocation Files 5 years after final payment Administrative and fiscal value ends
e. Condemnation Files Permanent Continuing legal and historical
value
f. Demolition Files Permanent Continuing legal and historical
value
4. Construction Phase
a. Work Orders 5 years after project completed, if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
15
Record Title Retention Period Reason
b. Daily Diaries 5 years after project completed, if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
c. Payroll Records 5 years after project completed, if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
d. Change Orders 5 years after project completed, if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
e. Cement or Other Purchases 5 years after project completed, if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
f. Inspections, Testing 5 years after project completed, if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
g. Progress Reports 5 years after project completed if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
h. Pay Requests 5 years after project completed, if
audited
Administrative and fiscal value ends
i. Blueprints, Tracings Permanent Administrative and fiscal value ends
j. Certificate of Completion and
Acceptance
Permanent Administrative and fiscal value ends
D. Deeds, Easements or Right of
Way Agreements
Permanent Continuing legal and historical
value
E. Land Survey Results
1. Field Notes Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
2. Benchmark Books Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
F. Photos, Aerials As long as administratively
useful; appraise for permanent
retention
Administrative value ends;
possible historical value
G. Profile and Grade Books Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
H. Reports to City Council
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
III. Planning & Zoning Records
C. General Planning
(comprehensive plan, land use, open
space, recreation, capital
improvements, regional,
transportation, etc.)
As long as administratively
useful; appraise for permanent
retention
Administrative value ends;
possible historical value
D. Minutes of the Board or
Commission
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
E. Rosters of Previous Board or
Commission Members
Permanent Continuing historical value
F. Reports to City Council
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
IV. Building Inspection Records
A. Building/Site Plans
1. Residential 5 years Administrative value ends
16
Record Title Retention Period Reason
2. Commercial Life of structure Long-term administrative value
3. Rental 5 years Administrative value ends
B. Case Files, Board of Adjustment 10 years after disposition Administrative and legal value
ends
C. Inspection Records
1. Card or Address File 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Reports 5 years Administrative value ends
3. Log Books Permanent Continuing administrative and legal
value
D. License Records (electricians,
plumbers, mechanical)
60 years Long-term administrative and
legal value
E. Floodplain applications &
elevation certificate
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
F. Minutes of the Board of
Adjustment
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
G. Permits (or application,
whichever has most info; building,
plumbing, heating, A/C, electrical,
sewer, excavation, demolition,
occupancy, street, sidewalk)
Permanent Continuing administrative value
H. Reports to City Council
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
V. Maintenance of Streets and Grounds
A. Complaints 5 years after disposition Administrative value ends
B. Daily Diaries or Logs
(appointment calendars, telephone
or radio logs, task lists, etc.)
5 years Administrative value ends
C. Equipment
1. Inventories While current Administrative value ends
2. Maintenance Life of equipment Administrative value ends
3. Cost of Operation Summaries 5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
D. Purchasing See Schedule 2, Financial Records
(Accounts Payable)
1. Fuel Consumption Records 5 years Fiscal value ends
2. Fuel, Gravel, Sand, Hauling, etc. 5 years Fiscal value ends
E. Reports to City Council
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
F. Work Orders 5 years Administrative value ends
G. Garbage Truck Inspections 10 years Administrative value ends
H. Reserved Parking contracts &
meter hood rentals
5 years Administrative value ends
VI. GIS Records
A. Aerial Photography Permanent Continuing historical value
B. Annexation maps Permanent Continuing historical value
C. As-built and record drawings of Permanent Continuing historical value
17
Record Title Retention Period Reason
City buildings
D. Benchmark books Permanent Continuing historical value
E. Plat books Permanent Continuing historical value
F. Plats of City-owned property Permanent Continuing historical value
G. Survey Notes Permanent Continuing historical value
H. Topography maps and datasets Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical values
I. Utility location datasets and
hardcopy maps
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical values
J. Utility strip maps Permanent Continuing historical value
VII. Operations/Traffic Records (installation/inspection & maintenance databases)
A. Duty Call database Permanent Continuing historical value
B. Hydrant flow stats Permanent Continuing historical value
C. Sanitary Sewer inspection
database
Permanent Continuing historical value
D. Signs, signals & parking meters –
installation & maintenance
Permanent Continuing historical value
E. Snowstorm activity database Permanent Continuing historical value
F. Storm sewers, outpipes &
retention ponds
Permanent Continuing historical value
G. Water/sewer (WSI) database,
water/sewer books
Permanent Continuing historical value
VIII. Resource Recovery System Records
A. Certifications/Compliance
1. Hazardous Waste Operator
Training Certificates
Duration of Operator’s employment Administrative value ends
2. Materials Safety data sheets 30 years after last use Administrative value ends
3. OSHA Training Permanent Continuing historical value
B. Facilities/Maintenance Equipment
1. Drawing, schematics,
plans/diagrams of plant and
system
Permanent Continuing historical value
2. Equipment & test reports,
contracted improvements,
maintenance projects & history
(Antero) manufacturing data and
recommendations, vendor
correspondence
Permanent Continuing historical value
3. Equipment manuals and operation
instructions
Life of equipment plus 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Major equipment repair, efficiency
reports, quotations, records
Life of equipment plus 5 years Administrative value ends
C. State/Federal Agency/Authority
1. IDNR Permit Permanent Continuing historical value
2. Landfill inspection reports Permanent Continuing historical value
3. Plant inspection reports Permanent Continuing historical value
4. State of Iowa Department of
Agriculture & Land Stewardship
5 years after expiration Administrative value ends
18
Record Title Retention Period Reason
Scale License (renewed yearly)
19
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. Blueprints of Commercial
Buildings
As long as administratively useful Administrative value ends
B. Daily Diaries or Logs
(appointment calendars, activity,
radio, phone)
5 years Administrative value ends
C. Equipment Records
1. Inventories 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Maintenance and Testing 5 years Administrative value ends
D. Inspection Records
1. Card File or Logbook with
Results, Violations, Corrections
Life of structure Administrative and legal value ends
2. Inspector Books, Copies of
Inspection Certificates
5 years Administrative value ends
3. Hotel/Motel Inspection reports &
state licenses
5 Years Administrative value ends
4. Food Establishment files, vending
machine inspections/licenses
5 years
E. Iowa Incident Reports Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
F. Investigation Files
1. Arson Permanent Continuing administrative and legal
value
2. Fire Deaths Permanent Continuing administrative and legal
value
G. Logbook of Fires Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
H. Maps of Area Served As long as administratively useful Administrative value ends
I. Miscellaneous Vehicle Run
Reports
5 years Administrative value ends
J. Roll Call or Minute Books Permanent Continuing historical value
K. Reports to City Council
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
L. Rural Township Contracts 5 years after expiration Administrative and legal value
ends
M. Photos, Scrapbooks, Videos
Department History
Permanent Continuing historical value
N. State Fire Marshal’s Statistics As long as administratively useful Administrative value ends
20
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. General
1. Contracts, Agreements
(concessions, services, equipment,
personnel, facility use, projects)
10 years after expiration Administrative and legal value ends
2. Minutes of the Board or
Commission
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
3. Facilities, Buildings, Other
Structures
Life of building or until sold Administrative value ends
4. Equipment
(inventories, maintenance)
Until equipment retired Administrative value ends
5. Facilities, park maintenance,
pesticide applicator licenses
5 years minimum Administrative value ends
6. Chemical Application Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
B. Miscellaneous Records
1. Program Files
(class lists, rosters, scorebooks,
permission slips)
5 years Administrative value ends
2. Reservation Records
(shelter houses, facilities, building
spaces, etc.)
5 years Administrative value ends
3. State Sales Tax Return 5 years Fiscal value ends
4. Promotional Materials 5 years; appraise for permanent
retention
Possible historical value
5. Photos, Park History Permanent Continuing historical value
6. Mosquito Control Program 5 years Administrative value ends
7. Block Party Trailer Reservations
(program development,
applications, correspondence)
5 years Administrative value ends
C. Swimming Pools, Golf Courses, and Other Enterprises that Charge Admission
1. Daily Cash Receipts, Cash
Register Tapes, Deposit Slips
5 years Fiscal value ends
2. Record of Season Ticket Sales 5 years Fiscal value ends
3. User Statistics 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Department of Public Health
Water Quality Tests
5 years Administrative value ends
5. Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS)
30 years after last use OSHA requirement; administrative
value ends
D. Reports to City Council
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
21
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. Contracts or Leases 10 years after expiration Administrative and legal value ends
B. Correspondence with Regulatory
Agencies, FAA or Iowa DOT
(inspections, certification,
correction of violations, etc.)
As long as administratively useful
or until issue resolved; appraise
for permanent retention
Administrative value ends; possible
historical value
C. Facilities
1. Land See Schedule 1, Administrative and
Legal Records, Title Documents
2. Buildings, Runways, Other
Structures
See Schedule 1, Administrative and
Legal Records, Title Documents
3. Equipment
(inventories, maintenance)
See Schedule 1, Administrative and
Legal Records, Title Documents
D. Master Plans
(5-10 year projections)
Until superseded; appraise for
permanent retention
Administrative value ends; possible
historical value
E. Minutes of the Board or
Commission
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
F. Reports to City Council
1. Monthly 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
22
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. Contracts for Service with
Other Entities
10 years after expiration Administrative value ends
B. Minutes of the Board or
Commission
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
C. Purchasing See Schedule 2, Financial Records,
Accounts Payable
D. Annual Report Permanent Continuing historical value
E. Reports to State Library
Commission
Permanent Continuing historical value
F. Log of Public Information
Requests and Responses
5 years Administrative value ends
G. Customers’ Accounts
CONFIDENTIAL
Indefinitely - purged after three
years of patron inactivity
Administrative value ends
H. Ames Library Association
minutes, records &
correspondence
Permanent Continuing historical value
I. Space needs studies, building
expansion proposals, building
programs
Permanent Continuing historical value
J. Grants 5 years after completion or grant
terms
Legal and administrative value
K. Bequests Life of donated item or 5 years after
funds have been spent
Administrative value ends
23
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. Planning
1. Site Development Plan Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
2. Administrative/Zoning Permits Permanent; life of improvement Legal and historical value
3. Subdivision Files & Plans 10 years after last final plat approval Administrative value ends
4. PUD, P-C, P-1 Plans Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
5. Comprehensive Plan Amendments 5 years Administrative value ends; possible
historical value
6. Neighborhood Planning (sub- area
plans, neighborhood liaison
activities)
5 years minimum Administrative value ends; possible
historical value
7. Historic Preservation Files Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
8. Manufactured Home Park Plans Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
9. Urban Revitalization Files 5 years from end date Continuing administrative and
historical value
10. Master Plans/Rezonings/Major
Site Plans
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
11. Plat of Survey & sketch plan files 5 years Continuing administrative value
12. Downtown/Campustown Grant
Files
5 years minimum; appraise for
permanent retention
Continuing administrative and
historical value
13. Flood Plain files Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
B. Planning & Zoning Records/Case Files
1. Zoning Variance Exceptions,
Requests and Decisions
10 years after settlement Administrative and legal value ends
2. Non-Compliance Violations 10 years after settlement Administrative and legal value ends
3. Decision and Orders Permanent Continuing administrative, historical
and legal value
4. Special Use Permanent Continuing administrative, historical
and legal value
C. Affordable Housing
1. Home Buyer Files
(applications, HUD settlement
statements, purchase agreements,
racial/ ethnic documentation,
rehabilitation contracts, and
documentation)
7-30 years or until the property is
sold
Administrative value ends
2. Grant Program Files (quarterly
reports, monthly reports, close-
out documents for audits)
5-year minimum after program
completion and audit
Administrative value ends
3. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
D. Rental Affordability Programs
1. Assisted client folders 5 years after terminating from
program
Administrative value ends
2. Withdrawn applicant and
participant files
5 years from withdrawn date Administrative value ends
24
Record Title Retention Period Reason
3. Program administrative files –
CDBG/HOME/CARES files
withdrawn applicants &
participation files
5 years Administrative value ends
E. Community Development
1. CDBG/HOME/CARES Grant See Capital Improvement Projects in
this schedule
2. Applications, Correspondence,
Records of Ineligibility,
Determination, Tenant Files
5 years after case closed Administrative value ends(Federal
Register, Guide to Record Retention
suggest 3 year retention)
25
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. Permits
1. Noise Permits 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Keg Permits 5 years Administrative value ends
B. Personnel
1. Staff Meeting Minutes and Index Permanent Continuing administrative value
2. Personnel Records
(discipline, demotion, promotion,
awards)
60 years Fiscal value ends (satisfies the long-
term need for future salary and
pension inquiries)
3. Personnel Training Records 5 years after termination of
employment
Administrative value ends
4. Significant Exposure and
Insignificant Exposure Reports
Permanent Continuing administrative value
5. Internal Affairs Investigations Permanent Continuing administrative value
6. Grievances/Responses Permanent Continuing administrative value
7. Outside-event Overtime Requests,
Assignments, Billings
5 years Administrative value ends
8. Policies and Procedures Manuals
and Updates
Permanent Continuing historical value
9. Detective Division Policies and
Procedures Manual and Updates
Permanent Continuing historical value
10. Field Training Officers Manual
and Updates
Permanent Continuing historical value
11. Dispatchers Policies and
Procedures Manual and Updates
Permanent Continuing historical value
12. Liability Release Forms Permanent Continuing historical and legal value
C. Records and Reports
1. Studies/Surveys 5-year minimum, as long as
administratively useful
Administrative value ends
2. Arrest Book Permanent Continuing administrative value
3. Trip Cards 7 years Administrative value ends
4. State of Iowa Grant Reports 5-year minimum, depending on grant
requirements
Administrative value ends
5. Federal Government Grant
Reports
5-year minimum, depending on grant
requirements
Administrative value ends
6. Investigation Reports Permanent Continuing historical value
7. Accident Reports Permanent Continuing historical value
8. Pawn Records 7 years Administrative value ends
9. Arrest Records Permanent (hard copy) Continuing historical value
10. Video Recordings – Body Worn
Camera/Interview digital other
120-day retention Administrative value ends
11. Video Recordings – Interview
digital Class A Felony
Permanent Administrative value ends
D. Accounting and Payroll
1. Department Employee Time
Records
5 years Administrative value ends
2. Department Accounting and
Payroll Records
5 years Administrative value ends
26
Record Title Retention Period Reason
I. Animal Control
A. Administrative Documents
1. Animal Welfare Inspection (IA
Dept of Agriculture)
Permanent 2011 to Present Continuing legal value
2. Animal Welfare License (IA Dept
of Agriculture)
Permanent 2002 to present Continuing legal value
3. Controlled Substance Registration
(IA Board of Pharmacy)
Permanent 2011 to Present Continuing legal value
4. Controlled Substance Certificate
(US Dept of Justice)
Permanent 2009 to present Continuing legal value
5. OSHA MSDS Sheets 30 years Continuing legal value
B. Animals
1. Euthanasia Records Permanent Continuing legal and administrative
value
C. Finance
1. Chameleon Database Receipts 5 years Continuing legal and administrative
value
D. General
1. Animal Control Officers Daily
Activity Reports
5 years Administrative value ends
27
Record Title Retention Period Reason
1. Annexation Maps Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
2. Plats of City-Owned Property
and Easements Granted to the
City
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
3. Topography, Flood Plain Maps,
FEMA
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
4. Utility Location Maps and Plats Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
5. As-Built and Drawings of City
Buildings, Streets, and
Supporting Infrastructure
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
6. Capital Improvement Project
Specifications
Maintaining for the life of the bond
or loan if the project was funded, or
for 5 years after project completion
if it was not funded by a loan or
bond
Administrative and fiscal value ends
7. Capital Improvement Project
Files
Maintaining for the life of the bond
or loan if the project was funded, or
for 5 years after project completion
if it was not funded by a loan or
bond
Administrative and fiscal value ends
8. Survey Notes Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
9. Benchmark Books Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
10. Material Safety Data Sheets 30 years after the last usage OSHA requirement; administrative
value ends
11. Nuclear Density Gauge Logs Permanent Permit requirement
12. Studies/Surveys 5 years Possible historical value; appraise for
permanent retention
13. Complaints 5 years after settlement Administrative value ends
14. Daily Diaries or Logs
(appointment calendar, activity,
radio, phone)
5 years Administrative value ends
15. Correspondence with
Regulatory Agencies
(inspections, certification,
correction of violations)
5 years/permanent if correspondence
serves as certification or evidence of
correction of violations
Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
16. Master Plans
(5-10 year projections)
Permanent Continuing historical value
28
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. Equipment and Maintenance
1. Inventories While current Administrative value ends
2. Leases Life of equipment plus 3 years Fiscal value ends
3. Fuel Consumption (gas/diesel) 5 years Continuing fiscal value
4. MSDS Sheets 30 years after last usage OSHA regulations
5. Underground Tanks, Registration
and Insurance
Permanent Continuing administrative and fiscal
value
6. Vehicle title/licensing While current Continuing fiscal value
7. Bus maintenance history Life of equipment plus 5 years Historical value
8. Title VI Policy Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
9. Triennial review Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
10. Building inspection reports 3 years after Triennial review Federal guidelines
11. Maintenance task cards 5 years Administrative value
12. Procurement records 3 years, triennial review Administrative, federal requirement
B. Maps/Passenger
1. Time Schedules and Route Maps 5 years/ minimum Continuing administrative and
historical value
2. Passenger transportation plan 5 years Continuing administrative and
historical value
C. Promotional Materials
(pamphlets, brochures)
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
D. Financial Records and Reports
1. Quarterly Reports 5-year minimum Administrative value ends
2. Fuel Tax Reports/Requests for fuel
tax refund/claims for refunds for
fuel tax
5-year minimum Fiscal value ends
3. DBE/WBE Report 5-year minimum Administrative value ends
4. Operating Grants Life of structure, not less than 5
years
Fiscal value ends
5. Odometer Readings 1 year, minimum Administrative value ends
6. Time Sheets 1 years Fiscal value ends
7. Material Safety Data Sheets 30 years after the last usage OSHA requirement; administrative
value ends
8. Claims for Refunds of State Fuel
Tax
5 years Fiscal value ends
9. Green slips 5 years Fiscal value ends
10. Pass sales register 5 years Fiscal value ends
11. Payroll documents 5 years Fiscal value ends
E. Transit Board
1. Agendas 5 years Continuing administrative and
historical value
2. Board packets Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
29
Record Title Retention Period Reason
F. Administrative
1. Asset disposal 5 years Fiscal/administrative value ends
2. Complaints 5 years after resolution Administrative value ends
3. Dispatch log journal 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Driving Records/State of IA
Driving Records
1 year, if new record since
employment, duration of employment,
plus 2 years
Administrative value ends
5. Education & Training Records Duration of employment, plus 2 years Administrative value ends, federal and
state requirements
6. Flow sheet 5 years Continuing administrative/historical
value
7. Information/collision reports 5 years Administrative value ends
8. Medical files
9. CONFIDENTIAL
Duration of employment, plus 2 years Administrative value ends
10. Planning studies Permanent Continuing historical value
11. Press releases 5 years Administrative value ends
12. Previous Employer Records Duration of employment, plus 2 years Administrative value ends, federal and
state requirements
13. Proceedings (notices and call of
public meetings)
5 years Administrative value ends
14. Promotional materials (pamphlets,
brochures)
5 years, minimum Continuing administrative & historical
value
15. Quarterly Reports 5 years, minimum Administrative value ends
16. Seniority lists 5 years, minimum Continuing historical value
17. Tally sheets 5 years, minimum Fiscal value ends
18. Video Recordings (personal injury
or property damage) downloaded
2 years, minimum Administrative value ends
19. Work study Current Fiscal value ends
20. Year-end reports (Financials,
NTD, FTA)
Permanent Fiscal/Administrative, historical value,
federal, state requirements
G. Agency Safety Plan
1. CyRide’s Agency Safety Plan
(ASP)
3 years Federal requirements
2. Authorizing Resolution ASP 3 years Federal requirements
3. Safety Committee Signature
Forms
3 years Federal requirements
4. Safety Performance Target
Submissions
3 years Federal requirements
5. Chief Safety Officer (CSO)
Training/certifications
3 years Federal requirements
6. Dial-A-Ride Contractor’s ASP 3 years Federal requirements
7. Safety Management Systems
(SMS)
3 years Federal requirements
8. Employee Safety Reporting
Program (ESRP) Forms
3 years Federal requirements
9. SMS Safety Register
(confidential)
3 years Federal requirements
10. SMS Quarterly Safety Reports 3 years Federal requirements
11. SMS Annual Process Reviews 3 years Federal requirements
30
Record Title Retention Period Reason
12. Manuals (Drivers/Dispatch/Lane
Worker)
3 years Federal requirements
13. Accident Register 3 years Federal requirements
14. Collision Reports 3 years Federal requirements
15. Information Reports 3 years Federal requirements
16. Check Ride Reports 3 years Federal requirements
17. Safety Event Investigation Guide 3 years Federal requirements
18. OSHA 300/301 Logs 3 years Federal requirements
19. Training sign-in Sheets 3 years Federal requirements
20. Signals newsletters 3 years Federal requirements
H. Federal/State
1. Building drawings Permanent Continuing administrative value
2. Building projects 5 years after completion of
project/drawings permanent
Administrative & fiscal value
ends/continuing administrative value
3. Dial-A-Ride Statistics 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Disadvantage business enterprise
and women-owned business
enterprise
5 years, minimum Administrative & historical values end
(Transit Mgr’s handbook)
5. Drug & Alcohol
• Drug test results - negative
• Alcohol test results – less than
0.2
• Alcohol test results – greater
than 0.2
• Refusal to test
• Verified Positive drug test
results
CONFIDENTIAL
5 years Administrative value ends, federal and
state requirements
6. Drug & Alcohol
• Annual MIS reports
• Records related to Alcohol &
Drug collection process
5 years Administrative value ends, federal and
state requirements
7. Equal Employment Opportunities
documents
Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
values, federal requirements
8. Federal/State grants Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
values, federal requirements
9. Iowa DOT CDL 3 years Administrative value ends
10. Operating Grants Life of structure, not less than 5 years Fiscal value ends
11. Passenger transportation plan 5 years Continuing administrative value
12. Title VI policy Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
values, federal requirements
13. Triennial review Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
values, federal requirements
31
Record Title Retention Period Reason
I. Electric Administration, Engineering and Plant Controls
A. State and Federal Reports
1. EIA 412 – Annual Report of Public
Electric Utilities
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. EIA 767 – Steam-Electric Plant
Operation and Design Report
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
3. EIA 860 – Annual Electric Generator
Report
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
4. EIA 861 – Annual Electric Power
Report
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
5. EIA 923- Power Plant operations
report
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
6. FERC 715 Region transmission study
– submitted to MAPP RTC
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
7. Iowa Department of Revenue (IDOR)
Annual Report of Transmission Lines
and Equipment
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
8. IDR replacement tax form A & C,
assessed value, transfer replacement
taxes
10 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
9. Form ME-1 – Iowa Utilities Board
(IUB) Annual Report
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
B. Utility Statistics
1. AMES & ISU hourly loads.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
2. AMES load & capability.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
3. AMES NSL & ISU net imports.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
4. Cool City energy.xls 5 years Administrative value ends
5. ERA.xls 15 years Administrative value ends
6. ICAP Municipal Electric Utility
Supplement (data request)
5 years Administrative value ends
7. Transmission facility cost sharing.xls 5 years Administrative value ends
C. WIND - RECS
1. Green e Attestation 3 years Administrative value ends
2. MRETS 5 years Administrative value ends
3. REC electric 5 years Administrative value ends
D. Licenses & Permits
1. Iowa Dept of Public Health Materials
License
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. Continuous Emission Monitoring 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
3. Iowa DNR Permits 10 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
4. US EPA Permits 10 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
5. FCC Radios 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
E. Distribution System
1. 1. Electric Distribution Maps Permanent Continuing administrative value
32
Record Title Retention Period Reason
2. 2. Electric Switching Maps Permanent Continuing administrative value
3. Security Lights, Rental Agreements Life of agreement, not less than 5
years
Continuing administrative value
F. Miscellaneous
1. Iowa One Call Locates 7 years Legal value ends
2. Primary Switching Log and Tags Permanent Continuing legal and historical value
3. Siren Tests 7 years Administrative value ends
4. Job Orders (active) Until completed, not less than 5
years
Administrative and fiscal value ends
5. Job Orders (completed) Permanent Continuing historical value
6. Maps Permanent Continuing historical value
7. Tree Trimming Maps/Permit Cards 7 years Administrative, fiscal, and historical
value
8. Line Clearance requests 5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
G. Inventory
1. Poles Permanent Continuing fiscal and historical value
2. Transformers Permanent Continuing fiscal and historical value
3. Job Issues Permanent Continuing fiscal and historical value
4. Material in Stock While current Administrative and fiscal value ends
5. Inventory Records 5 years Fiscal, historical, and legal value ends
H. Inspection/Maintenance Documents/Reports
1. OH Switch Maintenance 7 years Administrative value ends
2. PCB Test Reports Permanent Continuing historical and legal value
3. Cap Bank Maintenance/Inspection 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Tools As long as possessed, not less than 5
years
Administrative value ends
5. OH Line Inspection 5 years Historical and legal value ends
6. UG Line Inspection 5 years Historical and legal value ends
7. Infrared Inspection 5 years Historical and legal value ends
8. Equipment As long as possessed, not less than 5
years
Administrative value ends
9. High-Voltage Testing of Substation
Hot Sticks
Permanent Continuing legal value
10. Miscellaneous Building
Maintenance Records
Permanent Continuing historical value
I. Community Solar
1. SunSmart Solar.xls 20 years Continuing historical value
2. SunSmart – Ames Transfer Report 7 years Continuing historical value
3. SunSmart – ISU Billing Report 7 years Continuing historical value
4. SunSmart Production.xls 7 years Continuing historical value
J. Custom Billing
1. Amcor Billing.xls 7 years Continuing historical value
2. EV Charging Billing.xls 7 years Continuing historical value
3. EV Charging, CyRide Billing –
Ames Transfer Report
7 years Continuing historical value
4. Ames Transfer Report . MISO 7 years Continuing historical value
33
Record Title Retention Period Reason
K. MISO
1. MISO Coincidence Demand
Projection.xls
10 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. MISO PRA Deficit Payment.xls and
Supporting documents
5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
L. Production Statistics
1. RDF Fuel Ratio.xls 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise for
possible historical value
M. Utility Statistics
1. Ames & ISU @ MEC Peaks.xls 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise for
possible historical value
2. Ash Accounting.xlsm 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise for
possible historical value
N. Inspections/Permits/Reports
1. Annual inspections files; Ground
Lines, IUC spot check, Grain Bin
Notice, Overhead Underground
10 years Administrative value ends
2. Permits
(Franchise, DOT, IUC, Railroad)
Permanent Administrative value ends
3. Annual Reliability Indices Report 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Transformer Loading Study Reports 1 year unless historical load peak Administrative value ends
II. Electric Administrative, Contracts, Planning, Pricing, and Reporting
A. Contracts – Energy
1. MEC Power Purchase & Sale
Agreement
3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. Nextera contract 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
3. Subscription Software 3 years
4. PRT Contract 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
5. Gas Transport 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
6. Gas Supply 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
7. Gas Management 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
B. Contracts – Miscellaneous
1. Electric Admin. Building
Maintenance Agreements
2 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. IAMU – Mutual Aid Agreement 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
C. Contracts – Professional/Consulting Services Agreements
1. Consulting Services Agreements 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
D. Contracts – Transmission
1. CIPCO Interconnection Agmt 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. MEC Transmission Agmt 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
34
Record Title Retention Period Reason
3. MISO Transmission Agmt 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
4. ISU Agreement 5 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
E. Demand Side Management
1. Primetime Power Installer
Documentation
10 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
2. Smart Energy Forms 3 years Administrative value ends; appraise
for possible historical value
F. Energy Planning
1. ISU Schedule 5 years Administrative value ends
G. Energy Pricing
1. ERA reports & supporting
documents
5 years Administrative value ends
2. Energy pricing memos & supporting
documents
5 years Administrative value ends
3. Energy Pricing.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
4. Revenue projections.xls 5 years Administrative value ends
H. Environmental Reports – FED
1. CAIR annual compliance records/air
transport rule
10 years Administrative value ends
2. Chemical-terrorism vulnerability info 5 years Administrative value ends
3. EPA information collection request
(Effluent Guidelines)
5 years Administrative value ends
4. EPA information collection request
(HAP)
5 years Administrative value ends
5. Greenhouse Gas Reporting 10 years Administrative value ends
6. SPCC 5 years Administrative value ends
7. Tier II emission inventory 10 years Administrative value ends
8. Toxic release inventory 10 years Administrative value ends
9. Toxic Substance Control Act 10 years Administrative value ends
10. CCR Records Permanent Administrative value ends
11. Industrial Pretreatment Permit 3 years Administrative value ends
I. Environmental Reports – STATE
1. DNR – annual air emissions fee
payment
10 years Administrative value ends
2. DNR – annual air emissions
inventory
10 years Administrative value ends
3. DNR – annual compliance
certification reports
10 years Administrative value ends
4. DNR – ash system baghouse test Life of Plant Administrative value ends
5. DNR – Baseline boiler combustion
tests
10 years Administrative value ends
6. DNR – semi-annual monitoring
reports
10 years Administrative value ends
7. DNR – CEMS certification 5 years Administrative value ends
8. DNR – construction permits Life of Plant Continuing administrative value
9. DNR – NPDES permit Permanent Continuing administrative value
35
Record Title Retention Period Reason
10. DNR – NPDES reports 10 years Administrative value ends
11. DNR – NSR/PSD Life of Plant Continuing administrative value
12. DNR – Phase II acid Rain Life of Plant Continuing administrative value
13. DNR – Quarterly CEMS & Opacity
Report
10 years Administrative value ends
14. DNR – Rata Tests 5 years Administrative value ends
15. DNR – Stack tests, Unit 7 & 8 10 years Administrative value ends
16. DNR – Stack tests, Mercury 10 years Administrative value ends
17. DNR – Stack tests, GT2 10 years Administrative value ends
18. DNR – Stack tests, Unit 8
Construction Permit
10 years Administrative value ends
19. DNR – Title V Permits Permanent Continuing administrative value
J. Environmental MISC – Federal
1. COA-SEP Ash Site Assessment
(08/20/2012)
Permanent Continuing administrative value
2. Cross State Air Pollution Permanent Continuing administrative value
3. Mercury & Air Toxic Standards Permanent Continuing administrative value
4. Miscellaneous EPA Correspondence Permanent Continuing administrative value
K. Environmental MISC – State
1. Fuel Oil Spill-Dayton Ave Substation
(September 2010)
Permanent Continuing administrative value
2. Miscellaneous DNR Correspondence Permanent Continuing administrative value
3. N.O.V. Permanent Continuing administrative value
L. EUORAB
1. Meeting materials, recordings 5 years Administrative value ends
M. MEC
1. MEC data request & supporting
documents
5 years Administrative value ends
2. MEC operating guides 3 years Administrative value ends
N. MISCELLANEOUS
1. Miscellaneous inquires & submittals Permanent Continuing administrative value
2. Radiation Safety Program Records Permanent Continuing administrative value
O. MISO
1. MISO Annual Certification Form 3 years Administrative value ends
2. MISO GADS, GVTC report &
supporting documents
5 years Administrative value ends
3. MISO Organization of MISO States
Long Term Resource Adequacy
Survey
3 years Administrative value ends
4. MISO wind forecast 3 years Administrative value ends
P. NERC - MRO
1. MRO ERO Funding Allocation 5 years Administrative value ends
2. NERC membership form 5 years Administrative value ends
Q. Non-Disclosure
1. Agreements Until expiration Administrative value ends
36
Record Title Retention Period Reason
R. Power Plant Equipment
1. Device Books Equipment removed Administrative value ends
2. Drawings Equipment removed Administrative value ends
3. Instruction Manuals Equipment removed Administrative value ends
4. Power Plant equipment specifications Equipment removed Administrative value ends
S. Production Statistics
1. Fuel analysis.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
2. GADS events.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
3. GADS performance.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
4. GADS XEFORd.xls 5 years Administrative value ends
5. Laboratory analyses reports, bottom
ash
10 years Administrative value ends
6. Laboratory analyses reports, fly ash 10 years Administrative value ends
7. Laboratory analyses reports, fuel oil 10 years Administrative value ends
8. Laboratory analyses reports, RDF July 1994 & on Administrative value ends
9. Station generation.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
10. Unit heat rates & capabilities.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
11. Unit heat rates, operational.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
12. Unit operating factor.xls 10 years Administrative value ends
13. Unit outage history.xls 15 years Administrative value ends
II. Electric Distribution Records
A. Contract Administration
1. Daily line clearance report Until all services are performed and
invoiced; not less than 5 years
Administrative value ends
2. Janitorial services check off list Until all services are performed and
invoiced; not less than 5 years
Administrative value ends
B. Inventory Records
3. Pole cards Permanent Continuing administrative & legal
value
4. Transformer cards Permanent Continuing administrative & legal
value
5. Transformer repair records Until transformer is disposed of Administrative value ends
6. Transformer and poles database Permanent Continuing administrative & legal
value
C. Payroll
1. Semi-Monthly Pay Sheets 5 calendar years Administrative and legal value ends
2. Accrual Register 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
3. Leave Request Form/Trouble call
form
1 year Administrative and legal value ends
4. Meal comp form 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
5. Workman’s daily report 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
6. 6-month duty schedule 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
7. Trouble Call Form 1 year Administrative and legal value ends
D. Purchasing Records
1. Daily report of goods received 3 years Administrative value ends
37
Record Title Retention Period Reason
2. Field purchase orders Until all items are received &
invoiced; not less than 5 years
Administrative value ends
E. Training Records
1. Apprenticeship records Permanent Continuing administrative & legal
value
2. Individual training records prior to
July 1, 2007
As long as employee works for
department
Continuing administrative & legal
value
3. Individual training records July 1,
2007, to present
As long as employee works for
department
Continuing administrative & legal
value
4. OSHA training prior to July 1, 2007 Permanent Continuing administrative & legal
value
5. OSHA training July 1, 2007, to
present
Permanent Continuing administrative & legal
value
F. Worksheets
1. Completed street light maintenance 5 years Administrative value ends
2. Daily worksheets 5 years Administrative value ends
3. Job briefings 5 years after job completion Administrative value ends
G. Inspection/Maintenance Documents/Reports
1. High-Voltage Testing (hot sticks &
cover up)_
Permanent Continuing legal value
2. Fork Life Inspection As long as possessed, not less than 5
years
Historical & legal value
3. Fire Extinguisher Inspection Permanent Continuing legal value
4. Sling Inspections Permanent Continuing legal value
5. Material Handler Inspection As long as possessed, not less than 5
years
Continuing legal value
6. Emergency Light Inspection Permanent Continuing legal value
7. Rope Inspection Permanent Continuing legal value
8. Chain Inspection Permanent Continuing legal value
9. Body harness inspections Permanent Continuing legal value
10. Lanyard inspections Permanent Continuing legal value
11. Electrical cord inspections Permanent Continuing legal value
12. Ground set testing/inspections Permanent Continuing legal value
13. Truck daily safety inspection 5 years Continuing legal value
H. Miscellaneous
1. Safety Glasses and Safety Footwear 7 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
2. Material Safety Data Sheets Permanent OSHA requirement; administrative
value ends
3. Line Clearance requests 5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
4. Outside billing documentation 5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
5. Non-outage work requests 5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
6. Disposal Record of Material from
Truck Bay Pits
Permanent Continuing legal value
7. Disposal Records for
Transformers/Scrap/Cable/Streetlight
bulbs
Permanent Continuing legal value
8. PCB Records Permanent Continuing legal value
9. Entry Permit/Atmosphere Test 1 year Administrative & legal value
38
Record Title Retention Period Reason
10. Safety Meeting Permanent Continuing legal value
II. Electric Production Records
A. Operations and Maintenance
1. Generation and Output Logs
(monthly meter logs)
6 years Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (17,704, 125.3)
2. Recording Charts 5 years Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission Regulations
B. Payroll
1. Semi-Monthly Pay Sheets 5 calendar years Administrative and legal value ends
2. Accrual Register 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
3. Leave Request Form/Trouble call
form
1 year Administrative and legal value ends
4. Paycheck receipt register 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
5. Payroll hours proof listing 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
6. Union meal comp form 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
7. Workman’s daily report 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
8. 6-month duty schedule 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
C. Records
1. Record of Unclaimed Deposits 3 years Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
20.4(8)
2. Customer Billing Records 3 years Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
20.4(13)
3. Meter Test Records 3 years after retirement of meter Iowa Administrative Code, 199-20.6
4. Volunteer Records 2 years Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
20.7(7)
D. OSHA Safety Programs
1. Written Programs 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
2. Training Records 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
3. Canceled Confined Space Entry
Permits
5 years Administrative and legal value ends
4. Portable Fire Extinguisher
Inspections
5 years Administrative and legal value ends
5. Ladder Inspections 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
6. Sling Inspections 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
7. Monthly Respirator Inspection Forms 5 years Administrative and legal value ends
E. Certifications/Compliance
1. Apprenticeship certification 5 years after resignation/termination Administrative value ends
2. Insurance inspection forms 1 year Administrative value ends
3. Safety training 5 years Administrative value ends
F. Facilities/Maintenance/Equipment
1. Archives/Historical Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical values
2. Drawings, plans/diagrams of plant
and system
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical values
3. Equipment and test reports,
rehabilitation records, maintenance
projects and history, maintenance
Life of equipment plus 5 years Administrative value ends
39
Record Title Retention Period Reason
testing, date and recommendations,
vendor correspondence
4. Major equipment repair, quotations,
purchasing records
Life of equipment plus 5 years Administrative and historical values
end
5. Manuals and instructions (pumps,
motors, breakers, plant equipment)
Life of equipment plus 5 years Administrative value ends
6. Manufacturers’ equipment and parts
catalogs
Yearly or as new catalogs are received Administrative value ends
7. Office equipment and software
(operations disks and manuals)
Life of equipment Administrative value ends
8. Work orders (MP2), correspondence 5 years Administrative value ends
9. Service contracts 5 years Administrative value ends
10. Project documents Life of contract + 5 years Administrative value ends
11. CIP Projects See Schedule 4, Public Works
Records, Capital Improvement
Projects
Administrative value ends
G. Miscellaneous
1. Invoices, P-card receipts, fly ash
tickets, operations, vacation speed
slips
1 year Administrative value ends
2. Personnel files
(evaluations, disciplinary)
(HR holds official copies)
5 years after termination/resignation Administrative value ends
3. Purchase orders 5 years Administrative value ends
4. Time sheets 5 years Administrative value ends
H. Operations
1. Annual/monthly reports and studies 5 years Continuing administrative and
historical values
2. Correspondence relating to
operations (fly ash disposal)
5 years Administrative value ends
3. Daily, weekly, monthly plant
operating/activity reports
5 years Administrative value ends
4. Operator reports, daily plant data, log
sheets, maintenance reports, work
schedules
5 years Administrative value ends
I. State/Federal Agency Authority
1. DNR inspection reports Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical values
2. DOE forms 3 years Administrative value ends
IV. Electric Tech Services Records
A. Equipment
1. Circuit breakers Until retired Administrative value ends
2. Historical meter cards Until retired Administrative value ends
3. Instrument transformer cards Until retired Administrative value ends
4. Meter cards Until retired Administrative value ends
5. Transformers Until retired Administrative value ends
B. Load Profiles
1. Metering load profiles 10 years Administrative value ends
40
Record Title Retention Period Reason
C. Service Orders
1. Service Orders Electronic Administrative value ends
D. Tests
1. Baseline fiber tests Indefinite Administrative value ends
2. Battery records and tests Until retired Administrative value ends
3. Equipment tests, other Until retired Administrative value ends
4. Fiber tests 10 years Administrative value ends
5. Instrument transformer tests 12 years Administrative value ends
6. Meter tests Indefinite Administrative value ends
7. Oil Sample tests Until retired Administrative value ends
8. Relay tests 12 years Administrative value ends
E. Worksheets
1. Daily worksheets/job briefings 5 years Administrative value ends
41
Record Title Retention Period Reason
I. Administration, Engineering and Plant Controls
A. General
1. Capital Improvement Projects See Schedule 4, Public Works
Records, Capital Improvement
Projects
a. Records relating to state and
federal funding of planning
and/or construction of water and
wastewater facilities
(correspondence, grant
applications, approvals, wage
determinations, adjustments)
3 years after completion Administrative value ends
b. Records relating to the
construction of wastewater
treatment facilities (applications,
permits, amendments, blueprints,
complaints, investigations,
reports, Municipal Operation
Permits)
Permanent Continuing administrative value
2. Operator’s Certification Length of employment Administrative and legal value ends
3. Valuations Permanent Continuing administrative, fiscal,
and historical value
4. Rate Surveys
a. Annual Permanent Continuing historical value
5. Report to Iowa Department of
Revenue
5 years Administrative and fiscal value ends
B. System, Plant, and Equipment
1. Inventories
(elevated water tanks, wells,
pumps, engines, reservoirs, dams,
pump stations, etc.)
While current Administrative value ends
2. Equipment Records
(water towers, wells, pumps,
engines, tanks, reservoirs, dams,
etc.)
a. Inventories While current Administrative value ends
b. Maintenance History Life of equipment Administrative value ends
c. Depreciation Life of equipment Fiscal value ends
3. Maps of System Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
4. Meter Records
(location, testing, maintenance)
2 consecutive periodic tests or 2
years; if record made at retirement,
retain for 3 years
Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
21.6(9); administrative value ends
5. Record of Ys Permanent Continuing administrative value
6. Valve Records Permanent Continuing administrative value
7. Water and Sewer Tap Records Permanent Continuing administrative value
8. Well construction & abandonment
records
Permanent Continuing administrative value
C. Operations
42
Record Title Retention Period Reason
1. Logs Indicating Pumping, Hours,
Gallons, Chemicals Added,
Maintenance, Testing
6 years minimum Evaluate for continuing
Administrative value ends
2. Recording Instrument Charts 5 years Administrative value ends
3. Records Relating to Operations,
Including Correspondence,
Permits (pretreatment, disposal
water/wastewater sludge, water
supply, historical consumption,
usage records)
Permanent Continuing historical and future
projection value
4. Lab Records Supporting Lab
Certification
7 years Administrative value ends
5. IDNR Summary of Bacterial
Analysis
7 years Administrative value ends
6. Water Supply Monthly Operations
Report
7 years Administrative value ends
7. Operations Permits Permanent Continuing administrative value
D. Water Treatment
1. Bacteriological Analysis 5 years US EPA, 40 CFR 141.33;
Administrative value ends
2. Chemical Analysis 10 years US EPA, 40 CFR 141.33;
Administrative value ends
3. Actions Taken to Correct
Violations of Primary Drinking
Water Regulations
5 years US EPA, 40 CFR 141.33;
Administrative value ends
4. Records Relating to Variances or
Exemptions
5 years after expiration US EPA, 40 CFR 141.33;
Administrative value ends
5. Record of Residuals Analysis and
Disposal
5 years US EPA, 40 CFR 141.33;
Administrative value ends
E. Billing and Customer Services Records
1. Application Forms for Hydrant
Meters and Unauthorized Use of
Water (without meter)
5 years Administrative value ends
2. Applications, Certifications, or
Permits for Hook-up, Initiation of
Service or Discontinuation of
Service
3 years Administrative value ends
3. Contracts for Service 1 year after expiration Administrative value ends
4. Rate Schedules and Descriptions
of Rate Computations
50 years Administrative value ends
5. Job Orders 3 years Administrative value ends
a. Complaints 3 years Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
21.4(10). Administrative value ends.
b. Meter Readings See Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
21.6(9)
Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
21.6(9). Administrative value ends.
c. Billing Records
1) Stubs 5 years Fiscal value ends
2) Receipts 5 years Fiscal value ends
3) Daily Receipt Tabulations 5 years Fiscal value ends
4) Cash Books 5 years Fiscal value ends
43
Record Title Retention Period Reason
(journals)
5) Ledgers 5 years Fiscal value ends
6) Summaries of Usage and
Billing
5 years Fiscal value ends
7) Delinquent Account Lists 5 years Fiscal value ends
8) Bad Debt Write-Offs 5 years Fiscal value ends
9) Adjustment Postings or Books 1 year Fiscal value ends
10) Records of Customer Deposits
and Refunds
7 years after the abandonment of
service
Fiscal value ends
11) Record of Unclaimed Refunds 1 year Code of Iowa, 556.4. Legal and fiscal
value ends
F. Meter Records
1. Meter Testing and Maintenance
Records (meter cards)
5 years after the retirement of meter Administrative value ends
2. Meter Location Records
(address cards)
Permanent Continuing historical value
G. Cross-Connection Control Records
1. Facility/Customer Records
(device test and facility survey
forms; notifications for the need
for containment, testing, and
noncompliance; assembly
information and test log)
Permanent Continuing administrative and
historical value
II. Plant, Technical, and Laboratory Services
A. Facilities/Maintenance/Equipment/Treatment
1. Blueprints, plans/diagrams of
plant & system
Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
value
2. Copies of reports relating to
sanitary surveys of systems
10 years Administrative & historical value ends
3. Groundwater level monitoring
data
Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
value
4. Well Construction &
abandonment records
Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
value
5. Elevated water tanks, wells,
pumps, engines, tanks, reservoirs,
dams, plant equipment, pump
stations, long-term storage, lime
ponds, security and surveillance
system, bulk water station
Some life of equipment plus 5 years;
some permanent
Continuing administrative value
B. Operations
1. Daily, monthly, yearly plant
operating data; sampling data,
chemical analysis; variances/
exemptions; recording instrument
charts (pumpage, hours, gallons,
chemicals added); SCADA logs;
consumption & usage records;
chemical usage
10 years, some permanent for
historical reasons
Administrative & historical value ends
2. Efficiency reports, well & rehab
reports, SCADA installation
10 years Administrative & historical value ends
44
Record Title Retention Period Reason
3. Monthly IDNR operation reports 10 years Administrative & historical value ends
4. Operation permits, authorizations,
official notices, compliance
schedules, inquiries,
disputes/violations, settlements
10 years Administrative & historical value ends
5. SCADA installation/logs Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
value
6. Biosolids reports, sludge,
groundwater & PP Sheets
Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
value
7. Sludge state inspection reports Permanent Continuing administrative & historical
value
8. Precipitation reports,
climatological/weather data,
5 years Administrative & historical value ends
9. Pretreatment correspondence 5 years Administrative & historical value ends
45
Record Title Retention Period Reason
A. Gas Utilities In general, gas utilities shall
preserve records in accordance
with the provisions of Part 225 of
the Federal Power Commission
Rules, 18 CFR 225
Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
18.6(2)
1. Record of Unclaimed Deposits 2 years Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
19.4(8)
2. Customer Billing Records 5 years Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
19.4(13)
3. Meter Records
(name of the manufacturer,
number, type, capacity, multiplier,
constants, pressure rating, dates of
installation and removal, testing)
3 years after the retirement of the
meter; before meter’s retirement,
retain last 2 tests
Iowa Administrative Code, 199-19.6
4. Pressure Surveys and Records 2 years Iowa Administrative Code, 199-
19.7(3)
46
Code of Iowa Section 22.1(3) defines the term “public records” relative to the examination of government records:
“As used in this chapter, ‘public records’ includes all records, documents, tape, or other
information, stored or preserved in any medium, of or belonging to this state or any county, city,
township, school corporation, political subdivision, nonprofit corporation other than a fair
conducting a fair event as provided in Chapter 174, whose facilities or indebtedness are
supported in whole or in part with property tax revenue and which is licensed to conduct pari-
mutuel wagering pursuant to Chapter 99D, or tax-supported district in this state, or any branch,
department, board, bureau, commission, council, or committee of any of the foregoing.
‘Public records’ also includes all records relating to the investment of public funds including
but not limited to investment policies, instructions, trading orders, or contracts, whether in the
custody of the public body responsible for the public funds or a fiduciary or other third party.”
Common to both definitions is that:
• Records are information documented in the performance of the official business of an organization.
• Record content, not record form, determines whether or not information constitutes a record.
Any information documenting official business, whether recorded on paper or electronically, documented
photographically, recorded in video or audio media, or documented using any other medium, constitutes a record.
Records are created and maintained to facilitate memory. City officials cannot reasonably be expected to
remember every fact relative to a government’s business. Records, once created or received, must be maintained
in unaltered condition in order to afford reliable authority for subsequent business of the government.
Municipal governments conduct a large amount of business that must be recorded. Accumulation of records of
already transacted business (inactive records) can overwhelm available storage space and hamper retrieval of both
active and inactive records.
Furthermore, records of business already transacted can prove both legally and financially burdensome, since
records must be produced when requested. Retrieving records can be difficult if record management is not done
properly.
Some records of business already transacted remain permanently valuable to the government due to their content,
but most records are of no further use once the documented matter has been transacted and routine audit, legal,
and administrative uses have been completed.
Management of records allows records to be routinely maintained for legally accountable periods and affords
documentation that the records were maintained, then destroyed routinely, under those scheduled record retention
periods. Records that are managed routinely and consistently from the time of their creation through their final
disposition favor efficient use of those resources allocated for record keeping.
47
Record series retention and disposition schedules are developed by governmental organizations to ensure records
are kept for as long as they are needed, routinely destroyed when no longer needed, and the disposition of records
legally accounted for.
The lengths of time for which a series is routinely needed for audit, legal, administrative, and historical purposes
determine how long records must be retained. In all cases, the longest of the respective periods of need for each
record series is used. The record series retention and disposition schedule formally authorizes the retention and
ultimate disposition of the record series.
A record series is a collection of records filed together based on their relationship, maintained for an ongoing
official function. As long as the documented official function continues, records are added to the series. Typically,
components of a record series, such as files, electronic records, and databases, are filed separately from records
documenting other functions. For instance, claims are grouped with claims, and city council minutes are filed
together, representing distinct record series.
A record series retention and disposition schedule is a formal statement of the period records must be retained to
fulfill routine fiscal, legal, administrative, and historical needs for the records. Retention and disposition schedules
are developed through analysis of those fiscal, legal, administrative, and historical needs for determination of the
necessary routine retention. Records are then scheduled for appropriate retention and final disposition.
The record series retention schedule is intended to ensure that records are preserved for as long as needed but
also, once retention needs have been met, those non-permanent records are destroyed in a routine, timely, and
legally accountable manner. The retention and disposition schedule is formally adopted by the city to serve as the
legal basis for records disposition.
Retention and disposition schedules govern routine records disposition. Where a non-routine need for extended
retention of a specific record series is determined before the scheduled destruction (for example, when outstanding
or anticipated litigation may require the use of the records in question), the records must, of course, be held past
the scheduled destruction time. However once the non-routine need is past, the scheduled records can be legally
destroyed.
Adherence to the record series retention and disposition schedule allows records to be destroyed routinely, freeing
valuable storage space. Additionally, the smaller quantity of records that are scheduled for permanent retention
are preserved and the resources available for permanent preservation of records are applied only to those records
series determined to have permanent value to the government.
Record series retention and disposition schedules identify record series, and the disposition, expressed as a
retention period, applies to those record series. The record series identified in the schedules in this manual are
ones typically created or maintained by Iowa municipalities. In some cities, a given record series may be called a
different name than the one used in this schedule.
Also, some cities may place authority for the same functions under different departments. To determine an
appropriate schedule for records in each particular city organization, it may be necessary to compare the known
purpose of the city’s own records with the indicated record series labels. Where no comparable example exists, a
schedule should be developed, taking into account the administrative, fiscal, legal, and historical values of the
record series, and adopted formally by the city.
48
Record series generally accrue continuously with new records being added to the file as new business is
transacted. The retention period must be applied to manageable file increments since it would be unwieldy to
individually apply the schedule to each record item (i.e., case file, claim, database record entry, etc.) at the time
each record becomes inactive.
The retention schedule for a record series should correspond to the time frame in which that record series actually
accrues, whether that be fiscal year or calendar year. Financial information, such as a file of claims, could be cut
off at the end of the fiscal year and the retention and disposition schedule applied to that fiscal year’s accrual of
records. Claims for that entire fiscal year would be retained for five years after the fiscal year, then destroyed, and
claims for succeeding fiscal years would be retained for five years after the close of each of those respective fiscal
years. In this way, the physical process of destroying records is simplified, the records to be destroyed together
are kept together until the scheduled destruction date, and the entire destruction can be documented as having
been performed at the appropriate time.
Disposition is the final outcome of records retention, whether for destruction or permanent retention. Most records
are scheduled to be destroyed after all normal legal, administrative, and fiscal needs for the record have expired.
Those needs expire in a very short time for many record series, and for certain other record series, those needs
continue for much longer periods. In either case, the records are to be destroyed once the needs for retaining the
records have been met.
For a few records series, however, permanent retention is the scheduled final disposition. Some record series
might have long-term legal, administrative, or fiscal value, but where a record series also documents the
development of policy of the city government or the history of the city itself, the record series may be scheduled
for permanent retention. Permanent retention is a commitment to preserve the record series without end. Only a
portion of all record series have such historical value.
A record series allowed to accrue for years wastes storage space is difficult to use and can become a legal liability.
Only records scheduled for permanent retention can be allowed to accrue without routine destruction.
The record series retention and disposition schedule, duly adopted by the city government, formally governs the
retention and final disposition of records. Adherence to scheduled periods of retention results in a consistent,
routine disposition of records. Only in instances where exceptional needs can be clearly identified and specified,
such as for outstanding or pending litigation for which specific records series are needed, should records be
retained beyond the scheduled period of retention.
The record series retention and disposition schedule indicates which records series are to be retained permanently
as archives of the city government. Generally, records documenting the development of city policy (for example,
council minutes) have permanent value for the history of the city organization and also for the history of the
geographic area encompassed by the city. Records to be preserved as archives should be protected from extremes
of temperature and humidity, light, rough handling, animals, cyber security and other conditions that may
accelerate their deterioration or premature.
The record series retention and disposition schedules apply to all physical formats in which record series are
maintained. Whether paper or electronic, all records are destroyed or preserved in conformity with the record
series retention and disposition schedules. The form of the record does not exempt it from the application of the
49
schedule. Content and documentary purpose, rather than the physical form in which the record is maintained,
define the record series.
The retention periods indicated in the manual are based on reasons city officials in Iowa have found useful for
scheduling the indicated record series. If the city’s needs are different, it can make specific changes to its schedule
to accommodate those needs. Changes should be adopted under the legal mechanism the city has established for
modifying municipal ordinances or rules. Once legally adopted, the modified record series retention and
disposition schedule governs the disposition of the record series, and adherence to the schedule is necessary for
legal accountability.
Other records may be used in some cities for which no example in the existing manual provides a comparison. In
such cases, the period the record is required to satisfy routine administrative, legal, and fiscal needs must be
determined, as well as an appraisal of the historical value of the record series, to appropriately schedule the series.
The State Archives in the State Historical Society of Iowa may be called upon for information concerning the
appraisal of a record’s historical value. Any resulting schedules should be submitted to the City of Ames for
possible inclusion in updates to the manual.
Records management can be defined as the systematic control of records from the time of their creation or receipt,
through their organization and maintenance, to their ultimate disposition.
Managing records means keeping only those records that are necessary and keeping them in a way that permits
quick and easy access to the important information they contain. As cities continue to see increased documentation
and reporting, managing records before they inundate the office is becoming increasingly difficult. Finding
enough storage space for these records is one problem. Another challenge is efficiently locating a specific record
when needed. The application of records management techniques can help solve them.
Major purposes of an efficient records management program are reducing the bulk of records stored by disposing
of records that are no longer valuable, preserving the valuable records, and making records readily accessible to
those who need them. The rewards of such a program are reduced costs for space, equipment, software and
personnel and an orderly flow of information.
Public records found in city governments require special consideration. First, public records are public property,
owned by the citizens, and in most cases, they are open to public scrutiny.
Second, some public records protect the rights of the city and its citizens, and for this, they deserve special care.
Third, public records often have historical value because they document the development of the community.
Therefore, ensuring public access, protecting legal rights, and preserving historical information are important
goals of a records management program in city government.
The first task in establishing a records management program is the creation of record series retention and
disposition schedules that identify records found in the city and indicate how long to keep them. The creation of
these schedules requires three steps: inventory, appraisal, and scheduling. Making the schedules part of an ongoing
program requires two more steps: organization and implementation.
In the preparation of the record series retention and disposition schedules in this manual, the first three steps were
followed. Through the combined efforts of the City of Ames, the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association,
and the State Historical Society, recommended record series retention and disposition schedules have been
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developed for many of the records found in many Iowa cities. Officials in individual cities may wish to review
and repeat the first three steps when setting up a specific program in their city hall.
The last two steps, organization, and implementation, follow the decision-making and planning of the first three
steps and constitute the action part of the program. Throughout all five steps, the process requires cooperation
and participation from all city officials.
To begin, a city must find out what records it has stored, not only in active office space, but also in the basements,
vaults, computers, mobile devices, servers, or any other place where inactive records have been stashed over the
years. During the search, information about the records should be written down; inventory worksheets designed
for this purpose can simplify this process. The details recorded at this stage may vary according to each city’s
needs, but the basic information should include the record’s title, the time span the complete record encompasses,
a physical description of the record (letters and legal papers, databases, GIS systems, maps, electronic documents,
etc.), location of the records, the equipment currently used to store the record, the amount of space a record
occupies, and the frequency of staff reference to the record.
Most of these items are simply factual descriptions. It is usually most effective to categorize records according to
function, subjects, or activity into what is called a “record series.” For example:
• “Correspondence” is too general a term to be helpful.
• “John Smith’s letter to the mayor regarding the bond issue to finance Main Street storm sewers” is too
specific.
• “Bond issue correspondence” successfully labels a type of record for most inventory purposes.
If more than one person is conducting the inventory, it is wise to meet often so the record titles are standardized.
Once the inventory is complete, the inventory sheets should be sorted so the information gathered can be classified
and appraised. The purpose of this appraisal process is to establish the value of a record series in preparation for
the next step, deciding how long to keep it. This step may involve research into statutory and audit requirements
as well as interviews with city officials in all departments about the current and future values of records in their
areas. To appraise records in an orderly manner, the following criteria are used:
• Administrative Value: These records establish policy or document operations. Those that document policy
(minutes or resolutions for example) usually have a long-term value. Those that document operations
(personnel time sheets or monthly reports) usually have value for a relatively short length of time.
• Legal Value: These records document the rights and obligations of the city and its citizens. Examples are
records showing the basis for an action (legal decisions and opinions), documents representing legal
agreements (leases, titles, contracts), and records of action in particular cases (claims, dockets). Retention
periods can be dictated by the legal statute of limitations or the term of the agreement, in which case the
retention period would be relatively short. However, records documenting long-term legal rights and
obligations are typically retained permanently.
• Fiscal Value: These records document the day-to-day financial transactions of a city as well as long-term
financial planning and policy. Records that show financial transactions generally have a relatively short -
term value determined by the audit period or specific law. Records that document financial policy usually
have a longer-lasting value.
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• Historical Value: Records with historical value may have a future research use, although the original
administrative, legal, or fiscal value no longer exists. They are permanently valuable to a city because they
document the development of policy and/or the growth of the community. The historical value of a record
is often the most difficult quality to determine.
Each of these values should be considered when deciding how long to keep a record. A specific record can have
value in more than one category, and, if one does, the retention period must satisfy the longest need.
After the classification and evaluation of records in the appraisal process, a decision is made on how long to keep
each record series. This information is compiled into a record series retention and disposition schedule that names
a record series and states its retention period, usually in columns.
More complex formats can be used if directions are to be given about location and form of retention at various
stages in the record’s lifespan. A more complex format can also address the problem of duplicate copies of the
same record.
The schedules in this manual are in a simpler format. As the second example demonstrates, however, schedules
tailored for your city can be more detailed, reflecting your city’s needs and resources.
Once created, these schedules should be made available to all departments in the city so all offices can use them.
Although the record series retention and disposition schedules may be revised in the future, they form the basis
of the records management program.
Using the information gathered in the inventory process and decisions made in the appraisal and scheduling steps,
city personnel in all departments now can roll up their sleeves and physically organize their records. In the active
office area, the filing system used for current records may be adequate, but if changes are needed they should be
made during the organization of records. At this time files should be weeded of valueless paper and non-current
records should be removed for storage in inactive areas.
The following suggestions can help organize records in this area:
1. Store records of the same record series together.
a. Do not mix payroll records with commission minutes or canceled checks with dog licenses in the
same box or electronic file.
b. Before moving correspondence files to inactive storage, separate routine, less valuable records from
those containing information with long-term value.
c. Consolidate information from different departments and dispose of unnecessary duplicate copies of
the same record.
2. Store records with the same retention period together.
3. Destroy valueless records based on the retention and disposition schedules.
4. Label the remaining records in a clear, consistent manner.
a. Do not use a term such as “Financial Records” as it is too general. A specific term such as “invoices”
or “daily cash receipts” is more helpful.
b. Be consistent in the labeling; choose a term and stick with it. “Claims,” “bills,” or “vouchers,” may
all be the same thing, but the different terms can cause confusion.
5. Prepare a list or index identifying what and where records are stored and make this information available to
all departments.
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6. Maintain what is used for storage and make the records easily accessible.
Once the organizational phase of the program is completed, city officials might consider the job done. Certain
steps in the process, however, need to be repeated regularly in the future to qualify these records management
efforts as a “program” rather than a mere house cleaning.
The inventory process will not have to be repeated if systematic labeling and indexing take place. The appraisal
process might only have to be done again on a limited basis as new records series are created or reassessment of
an old series becomes necessary. Schedules form a basis for the program and do not need to be changed often,
but they can be amended as needed.
Implementation of the program means repeating the organizational step often. On almost a daily basis, new
records will enter the system. They should be adequately labeled and logically filed at that time. On an annual
basis, the record series retention and disposition
schedules should be checked. Non-current records should be removed from active files, weeded, consolidated,
labeled and indexed before storing them in inactive areas. Records scheduled for destruction should be removed
and destroyed. If they are allowed to accumulate, physical and digital storage areas will become as overcrowded
as they were before the program began.
Implementing the steps of the organizational phase regularly will ensure that the considerable amount of time and
effort spent in initiating the program will not go to waste. With some effort, city officials can enjoy the benefits
that an ongoing records management program can provide.
Government agencies must manage their electronic records appropriately. Like all other government records,
electronic records are subject to requirements of the Code of Iowa Chapter 22 “Examination of Public Records”
and litigation. As with all records, cities must ensure that they are retaining, managing, and properly destroying
their electronic records. This guide is designed to help employees of local governments who creat e, receive, and
retain electronic records follow existing procedures and protect themselves and their city.
An electronic record is information recorded by a computer or other electronic device that is produced or received
in the initiation, conduct, or completion of a city or individual activity. Examples of electronic records include
email and text messages, word-processed documents, electronic spreadsheets, digital images, and databases.
Many electronic records are maintained as part of an electronic recordkeeping system, such as geographic
information systems (GIS), digital image storage systems, computer-aided design (CAD) systems, and electronic
commerce systems.
Electronic records are public records if they are created or received as part of performing official duties and fall
under the Code of Iowa Chapter 22.
All electronic records that are created, received, or stored by a city are the property of the city; they are not the
property of its employees, vendors, or customers. Employees should not expect privacy when using the city’s
computers and electronic devices.
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Records created in the performance of an official function must be managed in the same way as those created and
received using government computer resources. This holds true when a home computer or personal device is used
to create or receive city records.
Electronic records might be released in accordance with the Code of Iowa Chapter 22 or during the discovery
process. Computers and electronic devices are provided to employees for conducting public business. Employees
should be prepared to provide access to their electronic records to their supervisor or their city’s attorney under
these circumstances. Electronic records that are created using home computers that are related to public business
might also be released in accordance with the Code of Iowa Chapter 22.
Government employees are responsible for organizing their electronic records so they can be located and used.
They are also responsible for using an approved record series retention and disposition schedule to identify how
long electronic records must be kept and when or if they can be deleted.
The State Historical Society and the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association have worked with the City of
Ames to create general record series retention and disposition schedules that can be used by city governments. If
the records in an office are not inventoried on a general schedule, a special or specific schedule must be created
to cover the records in that office. The City of Ames is available to advise cities about the process for creating
special record series retention and disposition schedules.
Record series retention and disposition schedules apply to electronic records. You may contact the City of Ames
for information concerning reviewing your electronic recordkeeping systems to determine if any changes are
needed to your city’s record series retention and disposition schedule.
Electronic records must be retained in accordance with a record series retention and disposition schedule, so the
database must be listed on a schedule. The schedule will tell you how long to keep the older data and will help
you design the new computer system to purge data at the appropriate time. Note: Electronic records cannot be
destroyed if they have been requested under Code of Iowa Chapter 22, or if they are part of ongoing litigation,
even if their retention period has expired.
Many electronic records need to be kept longer than the original technology that was used to create them. New
technology is not always compatible with older technology that cities may have used. Cities are responsible for
ensuring that older electronic records remain accessible as technology is upgraded or changed. Each time
technology upgrades and changes occur cities should be aware of the existence and location of older electronic
records so they can be migrated to the new technology.
Cities need to know how long their electronic records must be retained before they select their storage system.
Therefore, record series retention and disposition schedules must include electronic records. It is unlikely that
most electronic records will be stored in their original
software format and on their original storage system for their entire retention period. Cities need to consider these
changes in hardware and software when they select new technology.
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Individual employees are responsible for deleting electronic records in accordance with the appropriate record
series retention and disposition schedule. Deleted electronic records, however, may be stored on backup systems
for several days, weeks, or months after they are deleted. Cities need written procedures to ensure that deleted
electronic records are rendered unrecoverable regularly. Note: Electronic records cannot be destroyed if they have
been requested under Code of Iowa Chapter 22, or if they are part of ongoing litigation, even if their retention
period has expired.
City Clerk’s Office
City of Ames
515 Clark Avenue
Ames, Iowa 50010
515-239-5105
cityclerksoffice@cityofames.org
Iowa League of Cities
500 SW 7th Street, Suite 101
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
515-244-7282
www.iowaleague.org
State Historical Society of Iowa
600 East Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
515-281-7801
history.iowa.gov
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