Winner Announces Grants For Area Governments, Cornell University

Ithaca, N.Y.-- State Senator George H. Winner, Jr. (R-C, Elmira) today announced that Tompkins County, the city and town of Ithaca, and Cornell University have been awarded records management grants from the New York State Archives.

"I’m extremely pleased that Tompkins County, the city and town of Ithaca, and Cornell University will benefit from this valuable grant program to help achieve more effective and efficient records management systems. It's imperative for New York State to provide this local assistance to ensure that these systems keep pace with new technology, preserve valuable documents and meet all of the diverse responsibilities of records management."

Winner said that the New York State Archives is awarding approximately $9.65 million in grants to hundreds of local governments, school districts and community organizations statewide this year.

Winner announced the following grants:

> Tompkins County, $48,865 for active records. Active records grants are provided to local governments to improve electronic filing systems, develop disaster preparedness plans and index minutes and other records. These grants can also be used to assist local governments implement new recordkeeping technologies and redesign office operations to improve recordkeeping efficiency;

> Tompkins County Board of Elections, $74,370 for active records;

> City of Ithaca, $21,036 for inactive records. Inactive records grants are provided to help local governments develop procedures for the efficient and secure storage of inactive records that must be maintained for legal purposes;

> Town of Ithaca, $8,607 for historical records. Historical records grants are provided to help local governments preserve and support public use of records that have special, historical value; and

> Cornell University Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, $24,972 for regional documentation planning.

The grants are provided by the State Archives through the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund established by the Legislature in 1989. The fund derives its revenue from a small portion of the fees paid when individuals file or record documents with county clerks.