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COLORADO MUNICIPAL RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE
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Terminology
Terminology that may be unfamiliar to some users is explained in Appendix B - Glossary.
Numbering System
The Colorado Municipal Records Retention Schedule is organized in individual schedules that group related
records according to municipal functions. Each schedule is assigned a reference number, and an item
identification number is assigned to each records title listed (i.e., 05.010 means Schedule 5, Item 010). The
schedule and item identification numbers are listed with the individual records titles in the index - the key to
locating records titles in the schedules.
Record Titles and Description
Because the records titles used may not reflect the exact records titles used by everyone, the Retention
Schedule provides a short paragraph that describes the use and typical contents of each records series and
sub-series.
Retention Periods
Retention periods are based on legal requirements and/or on common usage and industry standards to meet
typical administrative, operational or reference requirements. The retention time period indicates the
minimum length of time that the record copy should be retained before disposal can take place. Typically,
some kind of approval process is in place to authorize the destruction of records in accordance with the
Records Retention Schedule. Evaluate records for continuing legal, fiscal, administrative or historical value
and determine whether they are the subject of any legal holds before proceeding with the authorized
destruction. It is permissible to either wait to destroy obsolete records until the end of the year in which they
become eligible for destruction or to go ahead and destroy records at the end of the retention period. The
municipality may dispose of duplicates in accordance with the following guidelines:
DUPLICATE COPIES CREATED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES
Retain for 1 year and then destroy.
DUPLICATE COPIES CREATED FOR CONVENIENCE OR REFERENCE
Retain until no longer needed for reference or 1 year, whichever is first, and then destroy.
Duplicate copies should not be retained longer than the record copy.
CRS 6-17-104 provides a default retention period of three years for records that state law
requires to be retained when no retention period is otherwise specified.
HOW TO USE THE COLORADO MUNICIPAL
RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE
COLORADO MUNICIPAL RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE
The retention period applies to the information contained within the record, regardless of the
physical format of the record (paper, microfilm, computer disk or tape, optical disk, etc.).
Guidelines for identification and handling of some non-records are discussed in Appendix A - Non-Records.
Trigger Dates
Trigger dates are included in retention periods whenever possible. A trigger date is the date of an event,
action or cut-off point that begins the countdown to the end of the retention period. Examples of a trigger date
in a retention period are highlighted in the following: "3 years after expiration of the warranty" and "1 year
after the tap is disconnected." When a trigger date is not specified, the countdown to the end of the
retention period begins on the date the file is closed, the date the file no longer has any administrative or
reference value, or the date of the newest document in the file.
Another Records Retention Resource
In 2010, The Colorado Municipal Clerks Association published Managing Municipal Records in Colorado: A
RIM-ERM Toolkit (known as the "Toolkit). Colorado municipalities may find that publication to be of value in
establishing and maintaining a viable records and information program, which includes adopting a records
retention schedule. It is available through the CMCA Records Management Committee (contact information
is listed on the CMCA website at www.cmca.gen.co.us).
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