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What is a Record?
As a local government entity, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) considers everything created within the Borough’s operations—whether in hard copy or electronic form—to be a record if it meets the definition of a record as outlined by both MSB 2.47 and the State of Alaska’s statutes.
State of Alaska Definitions
- Record (AS 40.21.150(6)):
“Any document, paper, book, letter, drawing, map, plat, photo, photographic file, motion picture film, microfilm, microphotograph, exhibit, magnetic or paper tape, punched card, electronic record, or other document of any other material, regardless of physical form or characteristic, developed or received under law or in connection with the transaction of official business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by an agency or a political subdivision, as evidence of the organization, function, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the state or political subdivision or because of the informational value in them.”
- Public Record (AS 40.25.220(3)):
“Books, papers, files, accounts, writings, including drafts and memorializations of conversations, and other items, regardless of format or physical characteristics, that are developed or received by a public agency, or by a private contractor for a public agency, and that are preserved for their information value or as evidence of the organization or operation of the public agency; public records does not include proprietary software programs.”
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Requirements
All Borough records, regardless of physical form or characteristic, are public records and remain the property of the Borough. These records must be created, maintained, and disposed of in accordance with the most current MSB Retention Schedule, MSB Code 2.47, and the Records and Information Management (RIM) Best Practices and CM Training Manual. Unauthorized destruction, removal, or misuse of these records is prohibited.
Retention and Disposition
Records must be retained based on the content and purpose of the information, not on its format. All records are subject to retention schedules approved by the Records Management Steering Committee and must be managed within the Records Management Software Application (RMSA).
Non-records—including drafts, working copies, transitory emails, and duplicate copies—should be regularly removed from Borough systems and equipment, especially by December 31st of each year, to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.
Records that have met their retention period and are not subject to litigation holds or extended retention requirements must be destroyed following approved procedures, including verification and documentation by the Records Management Officer (RMO) or designee.