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Council directs staff to draft records‑management policy and to scope digitization of legacy files
Summary
Council asked the town manager to draft a formal records-retention and digitization policy, benchmark peer municipalities and attempt targeted outreach to Palm Beach County and Palm Beach Gardens for legacy records; staff will return with a cost/time estimate for digitization.
Council discussed long‑standing concerns about inconsistent access to older planning, building and financial records. Council member John urged a program to digitize older files and make them searchable. Staff said the town follows the state retention schedule but that legacy records exist in formats such as microfiche and in multiple systems; staff recommended a written town policy and a phased migration to searchable digital storage.
"I think we should get those older records scanned electronically," John said, urging a practical approach to migration and noting some records may not be recoverable from other agencies. Town manager Robert Cole said staff will benchmark other municipalities and work to collect any legacy files still held by Palm Beach County or Palm Beach Gardens.
Council gave consensus direction: the town manager will draft a formal records‑management policy, staff will check with county and Palm Beach Gardens for any legacy records in their custody, and staff will return with options and a cost/time estimate to digitize microfiche and other legacy materials.
What’s next: Staff will present a draft records policy, a digitization scoping estimate, and the results of outreach to neighboring record holders at a follow‑up meeting.
