1.1 The Physical Space Housing the Records

Active Records Area

Inactive Records Area A

Inactive Records Area B

1.1.A Temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit)

Assessor 75.0

Circuit Clerk 71

County Clerk 70.9 (record room 1)

Sheriff 72.5

Prosecuting Attorney 74.5

Assessor 77.7 (Land Department-downstairs)

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk 78.6

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Assessor 67.0 F(basement)

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk (Lower Vault- 66.0 ) (Upper Vault- 71.0 )

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Humidity (record as relative humidity)

Assessor 42

Circuit Clerk 43

County Clerk 38

Sheriff 45

Prosecuting Attorney45

Assessor 40

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk 41

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Assessor 38

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk (Lower- 49) (Upper- 50)

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

1.1.B Windows (record as yes/no)

Assessor yes

Circuit Clerk yes

County Clerk yes

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney yes

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk - yes

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney - yes

Assessor yes

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

1.1.C Pollutants and other hazards to records

 

 

 

Mold - active (record as yes/no)

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor - no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk - no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney - no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Mold - inactive (record as yes/no)

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor - no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk - no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney - no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Moisture, Dampness (record as yes/no) and note where

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Animals - alive note kind

Assessor yes-rodents

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk yes

Sheriff - yes rats

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor yes

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk yes

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk yes(rats)

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Animals - past note kind

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Insects - alive note kind

Assessor yes- termites

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk yes(termites)

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk yes(termites)

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk yes(termites)

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Insects - past note kind

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Dust or grime on records

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk yes

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor yes

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk yes

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk yes

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

1.1.D Fire suppression and detection systems

 

 

 

Fire extinguishers (record as yes/no)

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk yes

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Sprinklers (record as yes/no)

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

1.1.E Type of security systems in place

 

 

 

Guards at entrance to area (record as yes/no)

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Locked or limited access to areas with records (record as yes/no)

Assessor yes

Circuit Clerk yes

County Clerk yes

Sheriff yes

Prosecuting Attorney yes

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney yes

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Alarm system (record as yes/no)

Assessor yes

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk yes

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Secured doors/windows (record as yes/no)

Assessor yes

Circuit Clerk yes

County Clerk yes

Sheriff yes

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Panic Button (record as yes/no)

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk yes

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Key card access (record as yes/no)

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk no

County Clerk no

Sheriff no

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor no

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk no

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney no

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

 

 

 

Comments

 

The courthouse in Welch, WV was by far the worst case of all counties i had visited. Upon entering the courthouse the first thing to catch my attention was the staleness in the air. The air alone gave me an idea about the age of every item this courthouse possesses. I begin with space: In the active area of records the space is currently adequate. Acceptable for the time being, but as time goes by more Inactive records could possibly make their way to the Active area creating more space issues that already exist there. As for the Inactive area I cannot say the same. The "Dungeon" (Lower Vault), as it was REFERRED to, is extremely limited with space. Twelve rolling shelves cover the entire room except for a narrow walking space, yet it is crowded with non-standard boxes. Each of the twelve shelves contains damaged records with Red rot or useless WHATNOTS taking up space. In the Records room the issue of space rises again. Some books are forced to be placed on top of the metal shelves just so they are kept in the area. The best condition of any record here is only fair. There are no records to my knowledge that were eligible for good remark. Some are so pitiful they no longer have covers; they are simply covered with paper backs. Dust is highly abundant. In the upper area of the vault on the upper row, there is no space whatsoever! I was unable to make my way around the level for lack of walking area, so pictures were all i could provide. On the level below there is a wooden shelf that should be replaced with a metal one due to the termites. I believe the courthouse could use many more metal shelves or something else to substitute to prevent the termites from doing damage. Another area i have to discuss is the basement. Although the Courthouse is on elevated ground and safe from a natural disaster such as the flood a year ago, all the material appears to have been damaged by something other than age or stored improperly. I asked the lady that was assisting me on this day if the courthouse was affected by the flood and she replied, "No". However, the scene in this basement is HORRENDOUS. The wooden shelves in which the records are stored on are in desperate need of replacement. Also, the only light in the room came from the windows, there were no lights to be turned on. The last area to cover is a room on the third floor. There are several bankers boxes throughout the entire room stacked to the ceiling, very disorganized. There is one area of the room which indicates the roof has been leaking and records area stored directly beneath.

 

 


 

1.2, 1.4, and 1.5 Quantity of Records Held and Condition of Records

Location

Record Type

Volume

Condition

County Clerk Record Room 1

 

Birth Records

Index to Marriages

Present Death and Out of County Financial Statements

City Book

 

Discharge Files

 

Grants

Oaths and Bonds

Welfare Reports

State Accounts

Former Employees Records Payroll

Correspondence Reports

33 - dockets

114- dockets

6- dockets

 

8- dockets

1- city book

 

7-document cans

 

32d vertical metal

 

 

 

 

 

Damaged Edges

Clean

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

 

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Record Room2

 

Death Book

Trustee and Deed

Judgment

Liens

Execution

Federal Tax Liens

Report of Sale

Assignment

Release

Trust Deed

Index to Deed and Judge Meetings

Record of Incorporation Power Attorney

Index

Church Trustees

Security State

Index to Assumed or Fictitious Firms

Surveyor

Land

Map

Delinquent

Record of Office Bonds

Road Order

General Election

Fiduciary Record

Will Record

Probate

Discharges

23-dockets

478 -dockets

47- dockets

2 - dockets

3- dockets

9- dockets

7- dockets

51 -dockets

119- dockets

381-dockets

1 - dockets

 

14 dockets

10 dockets

1 docket

4 dockets

4 dockets

1 dockets

 

1 dockets

85 docket

36 dockets

50 delinquent

6 dockets

5 dockets

6 dockets

98 dockets

39 docket

32 probate

19 docket

 

Many extremely poor

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

 

Lower Vault

Misc.

Number of dockets unknown

Poor, with Red rot present as well as dust.

Upper Vault (upper level)

Voters Registration

 

Marriage

Maps

Death Record

Original Births

Ballots

Cabinet (6ft. tall)

 

Document cans

Document cans

Document cans

Document cans

Document cans

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Upper Vault (upper level)

 

 

County Commission Meetings

 

Bonds, Funds, Marriage Records, Financing Statements, Judgment Liens

Returned Documents

Security Statements

Bingo License

Court Order

Fictitious and Assumed Names

Bankruptcy

tax Release

Execution

Road Order

Mechanics Liens and Non-Probated Wills

Adoption

Affidavits (sp.)

Tax Deeds

Redemption Records

 

Delinquents and Probates

17 document cans

 

wooden cabinet (4 ft. x 3ft.)

Floor Cabinet( 2 ft. tall, 17" wide)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wooden cabinets

 

 

 

Wooden shelves

Fair

 

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

Assessor Office

Adkin, Anawalt, Gary Davy, Big Creek

54d vertical metal

Cabinets (18x52)

Clean

Assessor (Downstairs)

 

 

Land Books

 

Change Cards

Homestead Worksheets

 

Nomps

Reproved Card

Change Card

Combined Accounts Assessment

Redemptions

Court Order Returns

Transfer

Budget Reports

Oil and Gas

 

(1) Map.

28 dockets

 

8 banker boxes

 

 

60d vertical metal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Map (20x16)

Fair

Map- Damaged Edges

Clean

 

 

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

Clean

 

Clean

Clean

Assessor (Basement)

See pictures

See pictures

Ridiculous, See Pictures

Circuit Clerk office

Law orders

92 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Bond books

18 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Fee Records

24 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Chancery

46 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Pistol License

1 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Execution Dockets

12 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil Memorandum

4 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Petit Jury

9 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil

144 vertical drawers

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil

58 banker boxes

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Criminal and Civil and Chancery

Wooden shelf loose files on shelf 5ft 2inch high and 30ft wide

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Appointed Attorney Records

Non standard boxes on wooden shelf mentioned above 15ft linear

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Misc.

2 vertical drawers

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil and Criminal Active files

88 vertical drawers

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Misc.

90 document cans

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Process books

7 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Executions

18 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil Dockets

26 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Trial dockets

14 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil Fee Record Trial

52 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil order

82 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Fees and collection

10 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Criminal cases

4 vertical drawers

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil

200 vertical drawers

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Trail Lost

23 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil/Criminal

48 banker boxes

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Civil and Criminal (no labels)

965 document cans

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Petition Records

18 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Delinquent Land Certificates

8 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Reciprocal Dependency

2 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Bond book

4 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Process book

4 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Administrative orders

10 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Family order

4 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Law order

55 dockets

Clean

Circuit Clerk office

Divorce/Domestic Relations/Mental Hygiene

40 ft linear wooden shelf with small banker boxes on them. And 15ft linear space with non standard boxes

SEE COMMENTS

Circuit Clerk office

Plaintiff index

8 dockets

Clean/Dirt

Circuit Clerk office

Defendant

8 dockets

Clean/Dirt

Circuit Clerk office

Civil Action

1 docket

Clean/Dirt

Circuit Clerk office

Civil/Criminal/Juvenile

60 vertical drawers

Clean

Sheriff office SEE COMMENTS

Investigations/Reports/Accidents

3 vertical cabinets

Clean

Prosecuting Attorney office

Criminal Files

12 vertical drawers

Clean

Prosecuting Attorney office

Abuse

4 vertical drawers

Clean

Prosecuting Attorney office

Closed cases

12 vertical drawers

Clean

Prosecuting Attorney office

Juvenile

20 banker boxes

Clean

Prosecuting Attorney office

Magistrate Court

16 vertical drawers

Clean

Prosecuting Attorney office

Juvenile

4 vertical drawers

Clean

 

Comments: in the Circuit clerks office, a room could partly be seen because it was on a balcony like floor. the door to it was locked and i could not go in because it contained mental health records. However i could read some of the labels of the boxes and wrote down what i could see. then i estimated a close amount of linear space.

In the sheriffs office i could only see the records i have listed above. one of the deputies suspected me of doing something else and did not let me see the records that was in the actual office of the Sheriff. they assured me the records were fine and there were nothing but vertical drawers in the office. They thought i was something like an under cover reporter and took my I.D. so i did the best i could. Employees were smoking in the building, which could be dangerous with paper records nearby. The building is separate from the courthouse.

Prosecuting Attorney was the same way they distrusted me showed the records I have mentioned in the office however they did not allow me to enter the other storage room. he said it was clean and records were in some vertical cabinets and banker boxes. Prosecuting attorney in judicial annex.

Circuit Clerk also said that they had some old Hatfield McCoy records but now they do not know where they are at now.

Assessors office basement storage had records scattered all over the floor. Records were filthy. This area is in horrible condition (see pictures].

All offices need more storage space; offices get no money from county to manage records, according to employees.

 

P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9

 

 

1.6 Disaster Plan

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

 

No

No

Yes

No

no

 

Comments: all offices need disaster plan in place

 

1.7 Staffing

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

1.7.A Number of Employees

 

 

 

 

 

Full time

12

7

8

14

8

Part time

0

0

0

0

2

Volunteers

0

0

2

0

0

1.7.B Records Training

 

 

 

 

 

Training received

Basic Assessment Training

None

In-House

on the job

None

None

Opportunities available

Association Meetings (once a yr.)

None

Association Meetings

Twice yearly

None

None

1.1.D.b Average Daily Retrievals of Current Records

 

 

 

 

 

Staff use

8 hrs.

8 hours

8 hrs.

Didn't say

Didn't say

Public use

Access

Didn't know

Access

Didn't say

Didn't say

1.7.D.b Average Daily Retrievals of Stored Records

 

 

 

 

 

Staff use

day

Didn't know

Seldom

Didn't say

Didn't say

Public use

Access

Didn't know

Access

Didn't say

Didn't say

 

Comments: all offices need on-going records management training for personnel.

 

1.8 Reformatting/Duplication

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Photocopying

 

 

 

 

 

Volume of material copied

Do not copy to store

 

Back up voter registration

 

 

Disposition of originals

 

 

 

 

 

Discarded

 

 

 

 

 

Placed in storage

 

 

Yes (tapes)

 

 

Microfilming

 

 

 

 

 

Internal

 

 

 

 

 

Volume of material microfilmed

 

 

 

 

 

Disposition of originals

 

 

 

 

 

Discarded

 

 

 

 

 

Placed in storage

 

 

 

 

 

Master copy stored onsite or offsite

 

 

 

 

 

User copies available (record as yes/no)

 

 

 

 

 

External

 

 

 

 

 

Volume of material microfilmed

 

 

 

 

 

Disposition of originals

 

 

 

 

 

Discarded

 

 

 

 

 

Placed in storage

 

 

 

 

 

Master copy stored (onsite or offsite )

 

 

 

 

 

User copies available (record as yes/no)

 

 

 

 

 

Imaging/Digitizing

 

 

 

 

 

Internal

 

 

 

 

 

Volume of material digitized

 

 

 

 

 

Disposition of originals

 

 

 

 

 

Discarded

 

 

 

 

 

Placed in storage

 

 

 

 

 

Master copy stored (onsite or offsite )

 

 

 

 

 

Backup copies available (record as yes/no)

 

 

 

 

 

External

 

 

 

 

 

Volume of material digitized

 

 

 

 

 

Disposition of originals

 

 

 

 

 

Discarded

 

 

 

 

 

Placed in storage

 

 

 

 

 

Master copy stored (onsite or offsite )

 

 

 

 

 

Backup copies available (record as yes/no)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

 

1.9 Electronic Records

Assessor

Circuit Clerk

County Clerk

Sheriff

Prosecuting Attorney

Record groups and/or series created and maintained in electronic format (list all)

TMC Technologies

 

CSI

 

N/A

Software used

Windows

CSSI

Excel, Word

NIBR Crisnet

 

Name and address of the vendor used

Carl McNeil, Fairmont

 

Parkersburg

 

N/A

System support used

WVIC

 

CSI

 

N/A

Name and address of the vendor used

 

 

 

 

N/A

Security in place for the storage system

Passwords

 

Passwords

Passwords

N/A

Security in place for the backup system

Passwords

 

Passwords

 

N/A

Procedural rules used for creation, storage, reformatting, and retirement of electronic records

 

 

Backup done every night

 

N/A

 

Comments:

 

Prosecuting attorney- note book paper was used instead of survey it says all the documents that are destroyed copies are kept in storage/ also photocopy

 

Circuit clerk- note book paper also- no retention schedule

 

Sheriff - note book- no retention schedule and they do destroy documents.

 

 

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