The Records Management and Preservation Board (RMPB) has awarded $292,457 in grant funds to 22 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 held in several county offices. Following official letters announcing the successful grants in March, RMPB staff began conducting courthouse site visits to provide technical assistance in setting up the grant project, which officially begins with the new fiscal year July 1. Grant awards range from $2,250 to $36,388. Five of the 22 counties receiving funds are fourth-time grant applicants; three counties are third-time grant applicants; nine counties are second-time grant applicants; and five counties are first-time grant applicants. 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 applicants last September. The three criteria were: conduct a total records inventory and condition assessment, and develop a master records management plan for county records; remove non-records and accumulations of records having reached or exceeded required retention periods; and provide proper and improved storage of and access to permanent records or records with a required retention periods in excess of 25 years. The latter will include physical storage to provide proper shelving and/or archival records boxes (10"x12"x15"), and security/preservation microfilm, with a digital imaging combination for enhanced access.
Funding for the County Records Management and Preservation Program is from the filing fees collected by county clerks and deposited in the special Public Records and Preservation Revenue Account. The funds serve as incentives to equip county officials to improve the management and conditions for the 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 and a County Records Management Manual for county offices, and sponsored records management workshops for county officials and staffs. The next grant cycle and priorities will be announced September 1, for the fiscal year 2008-2009.
For more information about the Records Management and Preservation Board’s annual grant program or the work of the RMPB, 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 Division of Culture and History, Building 9, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, WV 25305-0300. Information can be accessed electronically at www.wvculture.org/history/rmpb/rmbp.html.
RMPB Grant Recipients for fiscal year July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008
(Total $ $292,457.00 in grant funds represents minimum of 90 percent of total projects expenditures with counties to provide required match.)
Boone County Commission, $10,800 to provide improved records storage and shelving for the Circuit Clerk and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Brooke County Commission, $11,232 to provide improved records storage and shelving for the Circuit Clerk and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Fayette County Commission, $2,862 to provide improved map records storage and shelving in the county clerk’s offices.
Gilmer County Commission, $16,327 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county clerk records.
Hampshire County Commission, $12,870 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county clerk records.
Harrison County Commission, $2,250 to purchase supplies to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county clerk records.
Jefferson County Commission, $36,388 to provide improved records storage and shelving for the Circuit Clerk and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Kanawha County Commission, $17,000 to provide improved records storage and shelving for the Circuit Clerk and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Lewis County Commission, $6,093 to provide storage and shelving for the circuit clerk’s permanent records and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Marion County Commission, $8,109 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county clerk records, and personnel to implement records management in the prosecuting attorney’s office.
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 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.
Mason County Commission, $7,918 to provide storage and shelving for the county clerk’s permanent records and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Mineral County Commission, $16,380 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county clerk records.
Mingo County Commission, $13,455 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county clerk records.
Monroe County Commission, $8,073 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent circuit clerk records.
Morgan County Commission, $25,000 to provide funding for conservation restoration of permanent records for the county clerk’s office.
Nicholas County Commission, $8,354 to provide improved records storage and shelving for the Circuit Clerk’s office and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Ohio County Commission, $24,868 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent circuit clerk records.
Pendleton County Commission, $17,848 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent county and circuit clerk records.
Taylor County Commission, $9,930 to provide for preservation microfilming and digital conversion of permanent circuit clerk records.
Wayne County Commission, $11,700 to provide funding to purchase shelving and storage for county clerks records and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule to improve preservation and access to permanent records and to remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention periods.
Webster County Commission, $20,000 to provide funding to purchase shelving for the circuit clerk’s offices and to implement the records retention and disposition schedule and remove duplicates and records exceeding required retention period.
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