Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Records Management

Question:
Can tapes of council meetings be disposed of as soon as minutes are transcribed and approved?

Answer:
Tapes of meetings (for whatever purpose) fall under the definition of a public record and cannot be disposed of unless there is an approved disposal schedule. If your city or village has adopted Schedule 8, an MML publication, Records Management for Michigan Municipalities : A Suggested Retention and Disposal Schedule (Now available online!), the tapes may be disposed of when minutes have been approved. If you want to dispose of them under a different schedule, contact the Archives Section of MI Department of State (517-373-1400) for forms and instructions on submitting an alternate disposal schedule or access their web site for records management information for local governments at www.sos.state.mi.us/history/archive/local.