Local Records Act. The Local Records Act (LRA) provides that public records, including “any book, paper, map, photograph, digitized electronic material, or other official documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made, produced, executed or received by any agency or officer pursuant to law or in connections with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by such agency or officer” must be preserved unless the State Local Records Commission has given permission to destroy those records. 50 ILCS 205/3 and 7. Board records, including agendas, meeting packets and meeting minutes, fall into this definition. Public bodies located in Cook County must work with the Local Records Commission of Cook County to determine how long they must retain public records. Public bodies located outside of Cook County must work with the Downstate Local Records Commission to determine how long they must retain public records. Policy 2:250, Access to District Public Records, contains a subhead entitled Preserving Public Records which provides as follows: Public records, including email messages, shall be preserved and cataloged if: (1) they are evidence of the District’s organization, function, policies, procedures, or activities, (2) they contain informational data appropriate for preservation, (3) their retention is required by State or federal law, or (4) they are subject to a retention request by the Board Attorney (e.g., a litigation hold), District auditor, or other individual authorized by the Board of Education or State or federal law to make such a request. Unless its retention is required as described in items numbered 3 or 4 above, a public record, as defined by the Illinois Local Records Act, may be destroyed when authorized by the Local Records Commission. See the sample policy, 2:220, Board of Education Meeting Procedure, for all relevant footnotes. Also see administrative procedure 2:250-AP2, Protocols for Record Preservation and Development of Retention Schedules, for recommendations regarding school district records retention protocols and links to web-based record management resources. Are we required toapprove them? Must they be semi-annually reviewed? May we release them tothe public? May we destroy them? Yes, within 30 days or at No. Yes, must within 10 days No. There is no OMA provision permitting the destruction of open meeting minutes, and they must be preserved unless the State Local Records Commission has give...
Local Records Act. The CTA acknowledges that each of the City and the CTA are subject to the Local Records Act, 50 ILCS 205/1 et. seq, as amended (the “Local Records Act”). The Local Records Act provides that public records may only be disposed of as provided in the Local Records Act. If requested by the City, the CTA covenants to use its best efforts consistently applied to assist the City in its compliance with the Local Records Act. CTA will notify the City if such a request may conflict with CTA’s obligations as an entity subject the Local Records Act.
