Records Retention

As the official custodian of records, documents maintained by the Clerk of the Council's Office include pending, amended and adopted Legislation (bills and resolutions), as well as District Council (zoning matters) pending or approved by the County Council. Among other documents maintained by the Clerk's Office are records of Master Plans, Sectional Map Amendments, Zoning Map Amendments, Special Exceptions and a myriad of zoning matters which require Council action or approval.

As such, every action or operation in County Government results from or accompanies a record in one form or another. In controlling the life cycle of paperwork, records management is required and includes, but is not limited to, responsibility for the preparation of records retention and the formulation of disposition plans and programs.

Establishing records retention schedules requires inventorying records; appraising the records; preparing the retention schedule and obtaining authorization for the use of the retention schedule.

Accordingly, records produced by and for the Prince George's County Council are regulated by the County Records Management Program pursuant to County Code Subtitle 2, Division 16. Retention schedules have been developed and subject to review by the State Archivist who ensures the preservation of worthy records. Lastly, records disposition involve determining need for temporary storage in the Documents Library located in the County Administration Building; removal to the County Records Center; microfiche/microfilming (some of which date back to approximately 1924); and/or the transfer of documents to the Maryland Hall of Records for long-term storage or permanent preservation.

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