Section 255-1-5 - RESPONSIBILITY OF AGENCY HEAD The head of each agency shall establish and maintain an efficient and continuous records management program which shall focus upon the complete cycle of records creation, maintenance and use, and disposition. The program shall provide for:
A. Effective internal controls over records creation, maintenance and use and disposition, with respect to the conduct of current business. 1. Adequate controls over the creation of agency records shall be instituted to ensure that important policies and decisions are sufficiently recorded; routine operational records in any format are kept to a minimum; and the accumulation of unnecessary files is prevented. Effective techniques to be applied in this area include implementing a biennial agency records inventory for the purpose of: compiling a descriptive list of any and all records within the agency; identifying duplicate files or other non-record materials and historical records requiring preservation; and locating records due for destruction. 2. To ensure that records are maintained economically and efficiently and in such a manner that their maximum usefulness is attained, provision shall be made for the continued analysis and improvement of record retention by reviewing laws and statutes and using the 4-part criteria; administrative, fiscal, legal, historical/archival, to assign record value. Record retention schedules will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary with regards to changes in statute, media format, program closure or other influences that could affect the schedule or retention time.3. Provision shall be made to ensure that records of continuing value are preserved, that confidential records are protected and records no longer of current use to an agency are promptly disposed of or transferred until final disposition. Effective techniques for accomplishing these ends are the development of records retention schedules; the transfer of records to records centers and to the archives, the microfilming or digitization of appropriate records; and the disposal of recordswhich have already met their retention time or which are non-retention records (non-records).B. Cooperation with the Maine State Archives in applying standards, procedures, and techniques designed to improve records management; promote the maintenance and security of records deemed appropriate for preservation; and facilitate the segregation and disposal of all records of temporary value.C. Review and evaluation of agency records management program policies, operations and procedures.D. Compliance with the Archives and Records Management Law and with the standards, procedures and rules issued thereunder.