Area Localities Receive Records Management Grants

Elmira, N.Y.--State Senator George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) said today that a number of area local governments and school districts throughout the 53rd Senate District have been awarded records management grants from the New York State Archives.

"I'm pleased that a number of area localities and school districts will benefit from this valuable grant program to assist them with their goal to achieve more effective and efficient systems of records management. It is imperative for New York State to provide this local assistance in order to ensure that these systems keep pace with new technology, preserve valuable documents and meet all of the diverse responsibilities of records management," said Winner.

Winner, together with state Assemblymen Jim Bacalles (R-C, Corning) and Tom O'Mara (R-Horseheads), said that the New York State Archives is awarding approximately $9.5 million in grants to hundreds of local governments, school districts, and community organizations statewide this year. They announced the following local grant recipients:

> Chemung County, $70,131 for active records (county land records). Active records grants are provided 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 record keeping technologies and redesign office operations to improve record keeping efficiency;

> Chemung County, $21,641 for active records (imaging and document management);

> Elmira City School District, $12,000 for active records (files management); and

> Schuyler-Steuben-Chemung-Tioga-Allegany BOCES, $47,912 for active records (imaging and document management).

> Schuyler County, $25,050 for active records.

> Campbell-Savona Central School District, $36, 978 for inactive records (storage and retrieval). 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 Urbana, $3,214 for active records (eGovernment); and

> Village of Bath, $57,505 for inactive records (storage and retrieval).

> Tompkins County, $69,860 for active records (county land records). Active records grants are provided 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 record keeping technologies and redesign office operations to improve record keeping efficiency;

> Tompkins County, $64,000 for active records (records systems); and

> City of Ithaca, $38,400 for active records (files management).

> Village of Penn Yan, $1,290 for inventory and planning (records survey and program planning). Inventory and planning projects grants are provided to help local governments to survey and inventory needs, and develop and implement plans for records management.

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 records documents with county clerks.