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Since the Municipal Records Act does not provide specific information regarding the
retention of records not listed on the schedule or the transfer of historical records to the PHMC,
the Local Government Records Committee has adopted rules and regulations which establish
disposition procedures to cover these two situations. If a municipality wishes to dispose of
records not listed on the schedule, it must first obtain written permission from the PHMC.
Likewise, if a municipality wishes to transfer historical records to the PHMC, it must first
obtain written consent from the Commission. Please be advised that the PHMC is selective
in the types of municipal records it would be willing to accept.
In order to obtain written consent from the PHMC, a municipality must submit a records
disposal certification form in duplicate to the Commission's Division of Archival and
Records Management Services. A municipal official who disposes of public records in
accordance with provisions of the Municipal Records Act cannot be held liable on his/her
official bond or in the way of damages for loss or in any other manner, civil or criminal,
because of the disposition of public records pursuant to the provisions of this act.
The Local Government Records Committee added two very important
amendments to the schedule at its December 1, 1982 meeting. By way of explanation, §13.25
clarifies the retention period of records subject to audit, and also alerts municipal officials to the
need to check applicable federal and state statutes and administrative regulations which may
necessitate retaining records for a longer period of time than indicated in the schedule. In
regard to records subject to audit, the amendment explains that the retention periods refer to
the length of time the records must be retained after the audit has been officially accepted. The
second amendment, §13.26, relates to standards for microfilming municipal records. (See
Microfilm Standards for Local Public Records.)
Since the retention and disposition schedule was designed and issued to meet the
needs of municipalities, the PHMC would appreciate any comments, criticism or suggestions
from local officials as they use it in their records management program. Such advice is vital to
the Local Government Records Committee and the Commission as they seek to provide the best
possible schedule for municipal records.
Advice or assistance in connection with the application of the municipal records schedule
may be had by writing or calling the:
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Division of Archival & Records Management
Services P.O. Box 1026
Harrisburg, PA 17108-1026
Telephone: 717-787-3913 or 783-9874
January 27, 1992
XV-78
Revised May 2006