Few localities archive e-mails
Elected officials' e-mails about public business are public records under Virginia's Freedom of Information Act.
Date published: 7/16/2006
By EMILY BATTLE
When elected officials use e-mail to talk about government business, they're creating public documents that have to be saved and made accessible to the public just like paper records.
Since few localities in the area have established systems for archiving e-mail, the responsibility for preserving these public records rests with the officials.
The Free Lance-Star asked town, county, city and school officials in the area about how they keep track of e-mails among their board members.
In most cases, officials reported having no archiving system specifically for dealing with those e-mails.
Several localities have specific policies dealing with staff and board members' e-mail use, and most others reported following statewide policies on retaining records.
Stafford County's policy clearly spells out that government e-mails are not private.
"Treat every E-mail message as something that could end up on the front page of The Free Lance-Star," the policy states.
The Spotsylvania schools reported making School Board members follow the same policies that school system employees are required to follow regarding appropriate use of e-mail. Their policies prohibit harassing and disruptive e-mails, and make clear that school system e-mails are not a confidential way to communicate.
However, the Spotsylvania schools' system automatically deletes e-mail after 90 days unless it is archived by the individual, and schools spokeswoman Sara Branner said, "It is an honor system used by each School Board member to retain copies of e-mail sent."
It's an honor system in just about all the government entities contacted for this story.
Most of the officials contacted, like Stafford County schools spokeswoman Valerie Cottongim, said that board members use their own personal e-mail addresses, and are responsible for keeping track of their own records.
Westmoreland County officials said members of the Board of Supervisors and School Board seldom use e-mail to communicate.
"Our board does not use e-mail for any type of correspondence," said schools Superintendent Elaine Fogliani.
Fredericksburg's City Council is the only public body in the region with an archiving system set up specifically for dealing with elected officials' e-mail.
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Info on e-mail
E-mail correspondence to and from public officials about government business:
Is a public record, subject to the terms of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act just like paper records.
Must be retained for at least three years.
Must be made available to the public on request. |
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Date published: 7/16/2006
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