Schedule No. 145 Correspondence Records
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Issued: July 2012
General Description: A written communication that is exchanged via mail, facsimile transmission, private courier, including letters, postcards, memoranda, notes, telecommunications, and any other form of written communications but NOT including electronic mail. Please reference Schedule 135 for electronic mail records.
No record may be destroyed under this General Retention Schedule without the approval from the Records Department and the City and County of Denver’s Records Manager. Additionally, no record may be destroyed if the record is subject to an active litigation hold (refer to Executive Order 143-C). For additional information about the records program or records retention refer to Executive Order 143-B. The Records Management Program Policies and Procedures Manual for instruction about records creation, management, and disposition of individual records. The minimum retention periods specified in this schedule apply to the information contained within the record, regardless of the format of the record (paper, microfilm, electronic, etc.). Each agency must decide on the format for retention of each type of record, ensuring authenticity, readability, and accessibility for the entire retention period. Duplicate copies are NOT records. Copies that are created for administrative, convenience, reference or other purpose are NOT records and should be retained only until no longer useful. Electronic Records and Data must remain accessible, authentic, reliable, and useable through any kind of system change, update, or system end of life for the entire period of its retention, which shall be defined by information-type, as presented in this General Retention Schedule. Provided the data is an accurate representation of the information contained in the source documents from which the data was derived, the source documents need not be retained unless they contain other record information not contained in the electronic repository.
145.010* EXTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence to/from persons and entities external to the City that contains content identified by another record group or series listed in this general retention schedule, follow the retention that is assigned to the record group or series; for electronic mail correspondence, please reference Schedule 135; otherwise, the retention periods are as specified below.
- Enduring Long-Term Value
Correspondence to/from persons and entities external to the City with lasting long-term administrative, policy, legal, fiscal, historical or research value; records that relate to policy issues and actions or activities in which an important precedent is set; records of historic events; and other similar records and documentation.
Retention: Permanent
- Policy and Program Development Value
Correspondence to/from persons and entities external to the City pertaining to the formulation, planning, implementation, modification, or redefinition of the policies, programs, services, or projects of the City and County agencies.
Retention: Retain as administrative value or until policy and program is developed
- Routine Value
Routine correspondence to/from persons and entities external to the City with limited administrative, legal, fiscal, historical, informational, or statistical value such as routine letters, reading or chronological files that contain duplicate copies of correspondence filed elsewhere, routine requests for information, transmittal letters, etc.
Retention: 2 years
- Transitory Value
General correspondence of extremely short-term value requests for review, meeting/scheduling information, etc.
Retention: Until material has been read or it is no longer useful.
145.020* INTERNAL MEMORANDA
Internal memoranda to/from City staff and officials that contains content identified by another record group or series listed in this general retention schedule, follow the retention that is assigned to the record group or series; for electronic mail correspondence, please reference Schedule 135; Otherwise, follow the below schedule.
- Enduring Long-Term Value
Internal memoranda to/from City staff and officials with lasting long-term administrative, policy, legal, fiscal, historical or research value; records that relate to policy issues and actions or activities in which an important precedent is set; records of historic events; and other similar records and documentation.
Retention: Permanent
- Policy and Program Development Value
Internal memoranda to/from City staff and officials pertaining to the formulation, planning, implementation, modification, or redefinition of the policies, programs, services, or projects of the City and County agencies.
Retention: Retain as administrative value or until policy and program is developed
- Routine Value
Internal memoranda to/from City staff and officials with limited administrative, legal, fiscal, historical, informational, or statistical value such as routine letters, reading or chronological files that contain duplicate copies of correspondence filed elsewhere, routine requests for information, transmittal letters, etc.
Retention: Until material has been read or it is no longer useful.
- Transitory Value
Internal memoranda to/from City staff and officials of extremely short-term value requests for review, meeting/scheduling information, etc.
Retention: Until material has been read or it is no longer useful.
145.030* LEGAL COMMUNICATIONS
Communications and legal advisory opinions written by legal counsel to give advice regarding the legality or legal consequences of various courses of action and to present the basis and rationale for legal recommendations.
- Enduring Long-Term Value
Formal Opinions of the City Attorney have long-term administrative, policy, legal, fiscal, historical, informational, reference or research value.
Retention: Permanent
- Other
See External Correspondence 145.010*, Internal Memoranda 145.020*, for the retention periods for all other legal communications. Note: these documents may be confidential and/or privileged materials; nevertheless, they should be retained for the appropriate period.
Cross References
- Electronic Mail, Schedule 135*
- Electronic Records in General, 55.040* – Information Technology Records Legal Communications, 80.030* – Litigation and Legal Counsel Records