Hawthorne Municipal Code Ch. 2.10 City Records - Filing and Use

The following papers, documents and instruments of the city shall be delivered into the custody and care of the city clerk and shall be retained by him or her subject to the terms of this chapter, or other order of the council, or laws of the state, which may be applicable thereto:

A. All written instruments, papers and documents other than warrants, demands or instruments marked, or otherwise indicated, for transmittal or filing elsewhere, which come before, are presented to, approved or adopted by, or otherwise referred to, or passed upon, by the council at any regular, adjourned or special meeting;

B. All policies of insurance of every kind and character purchased by, or delivered to the city for its benefit or for the benefit of the public;

C. All evidences of, or certificates of title to real or personal property belonging to the city, including, but not limited to deeds, automobile pink slips and bills of sale;

D. All guaranty and surety bonds required by any ordinance of the city to be filed with the city or any department or official thereof by licensees or holders of permits.

(Prior code § 2-900)

The city clerk shall keep and retain all said papers, documents and instruments delivered to and under his or her care and custody, subject to use by city officials and employees in the manner following:

A. For examination in the city clerk's office;

B. For removal from the city clerk's office in connection with city business for a period of not to exceed two weeks and then only upon record of such removal, with the date thereof made by the city clerk and signed by the city official or employee withdrawing the same. The city clerk, upon the return of such documents at the expiration of two weeks, shall permit withdrawal for additional two-week periods of time in the manner aforesaid.

(Prior code § 2-901)

Certified or other copies of all papers, documents and instruments on file in the city clerk's office shall be furnished to any person requesting the same upon prepayment to the city clerk of a reasonable charge to be fixed by him or her which will cover the cost of reproduction and certification of such documents as are requested. No charge shall be made to any city official or employee requesting such copy or copies for city business.

(Prior code § 2-902)

It shall be the duty of the city clerk, not less than sixty days prior to the expiration of any policy of insurance or surety or guaranty bond purchased by the city, such as the city automobile fleet insurance or public liability policy and filed with him or her hereunder, and ninety days prior to the expiration of any lease or contract, to notify the city manager in writing, giving the name of the insured, the insurance carrier, surety or guarantor, and coverage, and the date of expiration of such policy or policies, and the names and subject matter of all leases and contracts.

(Prior code § 2-903)

Whenever any city records are maintained in duplicate or greater multiples of the original copies thereof, such duplicate or greater multiples of the original copies thereof which are less than five years old may be destroyed if they are no longer required upon the written consent of the city manager and the city attorney jointly. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the destruction of any original city records or other documents. The department head desiring to destroy duplicate or greater multiples of the original copies of any city records shall procure the consent of the city manager and the city attorney in the following manner:

A. The department head shall prepare a written schedule of the duplicate or greater multiples of the original copies of the city records desired to be destroyed, specifying precisely which records are referred to, identifying same by date, description title and/or other significant means, and shall certify that such duplicate or greater multiples of such records in his or her custody are no longer required, that they have no sufficient historical, administrative, legal, fiscal, research or other value to justify their retention, and that he or she has in his or her custody in complete and legible form the original copy thereof.

B. Two copies of said schedule shall be forwarded to the city manager and two copies thereof shall be forwarded to the city attorney. If the city manager and city attorney approve the destruction of the duplicate or greater multiple of the original copies of the city records referred to and identified in said schedule, they shall endorse their approval on one copy of said schedule and shall return same to the department head requesting authority to destroy such duplicate or other multiples. The city manager and city attorney shall each retain one copy of such schedule as a part of the official records of his or her office.

C. When the department head requesting such authority has in his or her possession a copy or copies of said schedule having the approval of the city manager and city attorney endorsed thereon, he or she may proceed forthwith to destroy the duplicate or greater multiples of the original copies of the city records referred to and identified therein. Such department head shall retain the copy or copies of said schedule having the city manager's and city attorney's approval endorsed thereon as a part of the official records of his or her office.

(Prior code § 2-904)