The Utah State Archives’ staff is busy preparing to implement the online training which was mandated in legislative changes to the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) during the 2012 Utah State Legislature General Session and which will become effective on January 1, 2013. The changes to Title 63G, Chapter 2 of GRAMA includes the following: “Each records officer of a governmental entity or political subdivision shall, on an annual basis, successfully complete online training and obtain certification from State Archives in accordance with 63A-12-110.” (Utah Code § 63G-2-108). A records officer is defined as “the individual appointed by the chief administrative officer of each governmental entity, or the political subdivision to work with State Archives in the care, maintenance, scheduling, designation, classification, disposal, and preservation of records” (Utah Code § 63G-2-103).
This means that soon every state, county, municipal, school district, and special service district records officer will be required to annually participate in online training provided by the State Archives (Utah Code § 63A-12-110). Also in accordance with the law, for every agency, the name and date of certification of each records officer must be posted on the State Archives’ website.
The online training will train records officers on GRAMA and other legal and policy matters relating to records management and access (Utah Code § 63A-12-110). Mindy Spring, a State Archives records analyst and training specialist, is in charge of developing the new online training. The online training is intended to answer questions records officers encounter during their daily responsibilities. Records officers are welcome to complete an online survey to provide feedback about their training needs. Training content suggestions can also be sent directly to Mindy at mspring@utah.gov. Additionally, Mindy is looking for volunteers to participate in a pilot online training program. Requests to be part of the pilot program can be sent to her via email.
The State Archives is currently in the process of gathering the names and contact information on all records officers who will be required to participate in annual online training. Since it is the responsibility of the chief administrative officer to appoint records officers, the State Archives is looking to that person to provide this information. The State Archives will be requesting that chief administrative officers from county, municipal, school districts, special service districts, and state agencies provide the following information regarding the appointed records officer:
- records officer’s name and contact information (phone number, email, mailing address, and physical address if different from mailing address)
- name of governmental entity or department for which that records officer provides service
- areas of responsibility (e.g., records management, GRAMA, etc.) if more than one records officer is assigned to the same governmental entity or department.
Lorianne Ouderkirk, a new records analyst at the State Archives, will be compiling the records officers’ names and information for municipalities. Chief administrative officers from a municipal agency can send the above information in an email to louderkirk@utah.gov or by mail or FAX to:
Lorianne Ouderkirk
Utah State Archives
346 South Rio Grande Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101-1106
FAX: (801)531-3867
Glen Fairclough, a State Archives records analyst, will be compiling the records officers’ names and information for state agencies. Chief administrative officers from a state agency can send the requested information regarding records officers in an email to gfairclough@utah.gov or by mail or FAX to:
Glen Fairclough
UtahState Archives
346 South Rio Grande Street
Salt Lake City, Utah84101-1106
FAX: (801)531-3867
The State Archives will use the information provided by the chief administrative officer of each agency to contact the records officer and further inform them of the online training requirements. Any questions regarding the online training can be directed to Mindy Spring at (801) 531–3842 or mspring@utah.gov. Questions regarding the submission of records officers’ information from a municipality can be directed to Lorianne Ouderkirk at (801) 531–3860 or louderkirk@utah.gov. Questions regarding the submission of records officers’ information for a state agency can be directed to Glen Fairclough at (801) 531–3841 or gfairclough@utah.gov.