6/14/2006
The Records Management and Preservation Board (RMPB) awarded $335,070 in grant funds to 24 West Virginia county commissions for county records management and preservation projects through its County Records Management and Preservation Grants program. The board reviewed submissions and made its recommendations in January for projects to improve management, storage conditions, access and preservation of public records. Following official letters announcing the successful grants in early March, technical assistance and site visits were conducted by staff to help with setting the grants up to start with the beginning of the new fiscal year July 1. Grant awards range from $4,000 to $34,000. Six of the 24 counties receiving funds are third-time successful grant applicants; 11 counties are second-time grant applicants; and seven counties are first-time recipients. A complete list of recipients is attached.
The RMPB, with its continuing interest in addressing records storage and management issues in the court houses, announced three grant criteria in its invitation to county commission applicants last September. The three criteria were: remove non-records and accumulations of records having reached or exceeded required retention periods; provide proper and improved storage of permanent or long-term records; and conduct a complete records inventory and condition assessment, and develop a master records management plan for county records. In the third round of grant announcements, the board also considered funding projects for reformatting (converting) records scheduled as permanent, which require a high rate of access and for which an eye-readable format exists or will be created (microfilm) and maintained as a security backup in proper environmental conditions.
Funding for the County Records Management and Preservation Program is through legislative appropriation of funds deposited in the public records and preservation revenue account from records filing fees collected by county clerks. The funds serve as incentives to equip county officials to improve the management and preservation of their public records. The RMPB was created by the West Virginia Legislature in 2000 to develop uniform county records management programs. Its primary focus is to establish guidelines and provide technical assistance to address the needs of the records of county governments through a uniform records management system, and to further encourage adoption of these goals through the county records grant program. In pursuit of these goals, the RMPB authorized a statewide survey and report on the current state of county records, developed rules for the management of records and the records grant program, a County Records Management Manual for county offices, and sponsors records management workshops for county officials and staffs. The next grant cycle and priorities will be announced September 1, 2006, for fiscal year 2007-08.
For more information about the RMPB’s annual grant program or the work of the board, contact Fredrick H. Armstrong, state archivist with the West Virginia State Archives, by phone at (304) 558-0230, ext. 164, by e-mail at fharmstrong@wvculture.org, or by mail at Records Management and Preservation Board, West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, Building 9, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, WV 25305-0300. Information can be accessed electronically at www.wvculture.org/history/rmpb/rmpb.html.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Visit the Division’s website at www.wvculture.org for more information about programs of the Division. The Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
RMPB Grant Recipients for Fiscal Year July 1, 2006 – June 30 2007 (Total $335,070 in grant funds represents minimum of 90 percent of total projects expenditures with counties to provide required match.)
Boone County Commission, $15,300 to provide improved records storage and shelving for the Circuit Clerk and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Fayette County Commission, $18,000 to provide improved records storage shelving in the circuit clerk’s and prosecuting attorney’s offices and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Grant County Commission, $20,000 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent records in the county and circuit clerk’s offices.
Hampshire County Commission, $24,000 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county clerk records.
Hardy County Commission, $7,650 to provide records storage and shelving for permanent records in county clerk’s office.
Harrison County Commission, $4,000 for personnel to continue to inventory county records and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Lewis County Commission, $5,000 to provide storage and shelving for the county clerk’s permanent records and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Lincoln County Commission, $24,000 to purchase records storage and shelving system for the circuit clerk’s office and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Marion County Commission, $6,000 for the county clerk’s office to rebind permanent records for improved storage, preservation and access.
Marshall County Commission, $5,000 to provide for personnel to organize and inventory county records for several offices and storage areas in the courthouse and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Mason County Commission, $9,000 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital reformatting of permanent records in the county clerk’s office.
Mercer County Commission, $19,500 for electronic reformatting of the county clerk’s index to ensure continued access; and for personnel to microfilm permanent county court records and purchase shelving.
Monongalia County Commission, $4,000 for personnel to inventory county clerk’s records and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Morgan County Commission, $23,250 to provide funding to purchase shelving and improve storage of permanent records for the county clerk and assessor’s offices; and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Nicholas County Commission, $8,120 to provide funding to microfilm permanent records and purchase a map cabinet for the county clerk’s office.
Pleasants County Commission, $9,400 to provide funding for personnel to inventory and organize the circuit clerk’s records; implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods, purchase filing units to improve records storage and a shredder for proper disposal process.
Putnam County Commission, $10,500 to provide funding to purchase shelving and storage for county clerks records; and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Raleigh County Commission, $5,000 for personnel to organize and inventory records in the county clerk’s office and storage areas in the courthouse and implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Roane County Commission, $11,500 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent records in the county clerk’s office.
Summers County Commission, $14,000 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent records in the circuit and county clerk’s offices.
Tucker County Commission, $5,000 for the purchase of shelving for the county clerk’s permanent records.
Tyler County Commission, $20,850 to provide funding to purchase roller shelving and storage cabinets for the county clerk’s office; rebinding of land books in the assessor’s office; continue to inventory and implement the records retention and disposition schedule in the prosecuting attorney’s office; and for personnel to inventory records in the circuit clerk’s office and implement records retention and disposition schedule to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods; and purchase a shredder to be shared by all county courthouse offices.
Webster County Commission, $32,000 to provide funding to purchase shelving for the county and circuit clerk’s offices; and implement the records retention and disposition schedule and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention period.
Wood County Commission, $34,000 to provide funding to purchase improved storage and shelving for permanent records in the circuit clerk, county clerk, and prosecuting attorney’s offices.
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Ginny Painter
Deputy Commissioner/Communications Manager
West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd., East
Charleston, WV 25305
Phone (304) 558-0220, ext. 120
Fax (304) 558-2779
Email ginny.painter@wvculture.org