Records Management and Retention Policy - Kalamazoo County Republican Party

Policy/Procedure

Kalamazoo County Republican Committee (KGOP), herein known as the Party, records are a valuable asset. The Party is committed to the effective management and retention of its records as necessary to fulfill its education al mission, comply with legal requirements and preserve its history.

The purpose of this policy is to assist the organization in its efforts to:

Comply with legal, contractual and accreditation requirements for the retention, privacy and security of records
Retain records for which there is continuing administrative and/or operational need and establish mechanisms for ensuring the authenticity, reliability and usability of such records
Destroy records no longer necessary to the operation of the Party in order to optimize the use of space, both physical and electronic, and minimize the cost of record storage
Retain records that are valuable to the preservation of the party’s history

Definitions

Electronic Records

Any Party owned record that is created, received, maintained and/or stored on Party workstations, servers and system/service provider resource, both local and cloud based. As well as any record maintained in any non-paper format.

Examples of electronic records include, but are not limited to, email, Faculty, administrative or student personal documentation, spreadsheets, databases, videos, photographs and audio recordings.

Official Repository

The Party, committees, office, center or unit designated as having responsibility for retention and timely destruction of the party records subject to a required retention period.

Paper Record

Any Party record maintained in a hard copy paper format.

Preservation Notice

If the Party becomes involved in a legal action, a preservation notice may be issued by the Office of the General Counsel. A preservation notice compels the Party to retain any and all records that may be relevant to a legal action that has been filed. Sometimes referred to as a “litigation hold”, a preservation notice suspends normal record retention periods and requires that records be maintained and not altered from that point forward until the notice is removed.

Required Retention Period

The retention period set forth in the Party’s records retention schedule, Appendix A.

Party Record

Electronic and paper records, collectively.

Official Repository and Retention Periods

Appendix A to this Records Management and Retention Policy list the general types of Party records, the official repository of such records within the Party and the retention period for such records maintained by the official repository.

Once the retention expires, the covered record maintained by the official repository should be properly destroyed.

Federal and state laws, regulations and best practices require that the Party adhere to certain record retention requirements and periods of retention. The appropriate time periods for record retention are record specific and are subject to ongoing modification from time to time by government statute, judicial and administrative consent order, and private or government contract, pending litigation or audit requirements. Such modifications supersede the retention period for the applicable record stated in Appendix A. A temporary modification of a required retention period or suspension of record destruction required for any of these reasons will be accomplished by notification from the President’s Office, Office of the General Counsel the Provost Office and/or the Finance and Operations Division. No list of Party Records is exhaustive. Questions regarding the retention period for any specific Party record or category of records not included in Appendix A should be directed to the Office of the General Counsel.

Departmental Records Management

Each Party department should designate a records manager who is familiar with Records Management and Retention Policy, the Data Classification and Handling Policy and who assume responsibility for:

Restricting access to sensitive records and information, as outlined in the Data Classification and Handling Policy, to those who need access to such records and information for the appropriate performance of their job responsibilities
Information and educating staff within the department on the proper record management practices
Coordinating the destruction of records as by provided by this policy

The Office of the General Counsel and the Director of Infrastructure Systems and Information Security are available to advise and assist individual departments to implement these requirements.

Safeguarding Records Containing Sensitive Information

Many Party records subject to record retention requirements contain sensitive information (non- public information including, but not limited to, name, address, social security number, bank account numbers, financial or financial aid information, student identification numbers, medical information, employment information, etc.). Such records are protected by federal and state statutes including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Gramm-Leach- Bliley Act (GLBA) the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the EU General Data Protection Requirement (GDPR). Any record that contains sensitive information should also be treated in accordance with the Party’s Data Classification and Handling Policy.

The records manager of a department should ensure that active and inactive financial records (paper and electronic) are stored in a secure location. The storage location must provide appropriate confidentiality and protection from unauthorized inspection, theft, and physical damage due to a fire, water, natural disaster. The records manager should use sound judgment in restricting access to financial records.

Electronically Stored Information

The ease with which electronically stored information may be created and the number of places where such information may be stored requires that the Party manage its electronically stored information effectively, efficiently, and consistent with its legal obligations. System and service providers that maintain and process Party records must conform to the same retention periods and data classification and handing of Party records as outlined in the Party’s policies.

Disposal and Destruction of Records

If it is determined that, consistent with this Records Management and Retention Policy, it is appropriate to dispose of any records, they can be destroyed in one of the following ways:

Recycle paper records that do not contain sensitive information
Shred paper records that may contain paper records
Erase or destroy electronically stored information. The Director of Infrastructure Systems and Information Security can advise and recommend solutions to effectively dispose of these records.
Physical destroy audio or video media.

Party departments that are not official repositories of a Party record but must have access to and that retain duplicate or multiple copies of such records should dispose of them when there is no longer and administrative or operational need for such records.

APPENDIX A
O = As Needed for Operations
Type of Record	Official Repository	Duration

COMMITTES
Executive Committee meeting minutes	Secretary of the Party	Permanent
Governance records (Bylaws, Charter, etc.)	Secretary of the Party	Permanent

COMPLIANCE AND ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT
Accident/Accident Reports	Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management	5 years
Fire Incident Reports	Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management	5 years
Safety Incident Investigation Reports	Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management	5 years
Certificates of Insurance	Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management	5 years
Indemnifications Agreements	Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management	Permanent
Insurance Policies	Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management	Permanent

DEVELOPMENT
Annual Fund Reports	Development	Permanent
Call Reports	Development	O
Capital Campaign Records	Development	Permanent

Cash Gift Records	Development	Permanent
Endowment Agreements	Development	Permanent
Planned Gift Agreements	Development	Permanent
Pledges	Development	Permanent
Wills/Bequests	Development	Permanent

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Building/Site Plan Specifications	Facilities Management	Permanent
Building/Zoning Permits	Facilities Management	Permanent
Capital Construction Materials Info/Correspondence	Facilities Management	Permanent
Capital Construction Project Information	Facilities Management	Permanent
Maintenance Records	Facilities Management	10 years
Operating Permits (i.e. elevators)	Facilities Management	10 years
Volunteers
Volunteer Records	Volunteer / Membership	7 years
Membership Records	Volunteer / Membership	7 years

FINANCE AND ADMINSTRATION
Subsidiary ledgers (accounts payable, accounts receivable, etc.)	Treasurer	7 years
Bank records, including deposits and withdrawal records	Treasurer	7 years
Annual financial reports	Treasurer	Permanent
Bond documents	Treasurer	Permanent
Donor records	Treasurer	Permanent
Investment records and reconciliations	Treasurer	7 years
Procurement card applications, authorizations	Treasurer	3 years after account closure
Procurement card records	Treasurer	9 years
Travel reimbursement documentation	Treasurer	9 years
Depreciation records	Treasurer	life of asset
Information returns filed with federal, state and local authorities (Merts, W-2, 1099, 1042-S, etc.)	Treasurer	7 years
Audit reports	Treasurer	Permanent
Charitable solicitation registrations and annual returns	Treasurer	7 years
Fringe benefits (taxable) supporting documentation	Treasurer	9 years

Income tax returns (990, 990-T, state returns, etc.)		Treasurer		Permanent
Benefit plan audits (F/S, 990, 5500)		Treasurer		Permanent
Sales and use tax returns		Treasurer		7 years
Tax exemption documentation – IRS determination letter, state exemptions, etc.		Treasurer		9 years
Accounts receivable statements		Membership		7 years
Billing records		Membership		7 years
	Timesheets		Membership		9 years

Planning and budget minutes/documents		Planning and Budget		Permanent
Budget to actual projections		Planning and Budget		15 years
Budget work files		Planning and Budget		15 years
GENERAL COUNSEL
Contracts		Office of the General Counsel		Length of contract + 7 years
Litigation files/claims				10 years from termination of litigation
Opinion letters				10 years
Policy documents				Permanent
Member/Volunteer settlement & benefits documents				7 years after the benefits period outlined in the agreement has ceased or 50 years total
Waivers and other release of liability forms				4 years after signed or, in the case of a minor, 4 years after 18^th birthday

INFORMATION SERVICES
Network access and account	Infrastructure Systems	Disabled 1st day of the following month of end of employment. Deleted at the close of the fiscal year
Email	Infrastructure Systems	4 Years
Backup Tapes	Infrastructure Systems	10 years

Responsible Person/Office: General Counsel / Chair

Date: March 1, 2023

Effective Date: March 1, 2023

Last Amended Date: June 26, 2023

Next Review Date: January 1, 2024

Congress

Repowering Palisades Means Lower Costs, Greater Energy Security, and Good Paying Jobs for SW Michigan

Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) released the following statement after the Department of Energy officially announced the conditional commitment of up to $1.52 billion for a loan to repower Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Covert, Michigan. “Today’s announcement is a massive step towards restoring 800 megawatts of carbon-free energy generation and hundreds of highly skilled jobs right here in Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District. Holtec’s historic repowering of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant will provide safe, reliable energy to meet Southwest Michigan’s growing needs, and it lays the groundwork for the first-of-their-kind small modular reactors to be placed at Palisades in the future. For these reasons, I’m proud to have led the bipartisan congressional effort on behalf of this project to lower energy costs, create jobs, and strengthen American energy security.” Congressman Huizenga has been a vocal leader in the bipartisan effort to repower Palisades. In July, Huizenga pressed Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry on restarting Palisades and the importance of nuclear energy. In September, Huizenga discussed the importance of the power purchase agreement between Holtec and Wolverine Power Cooperative. In December, Huizenga led a bipartisan letter to the Department of Energy requesting a timely and responsible review of repowering Palisades. In January, Huizenga wrote about Fueling Southwest Michigan’s Future by Repowering Palisades In late January, when Bloomberg broke the news that the Department of Energy was moving forward on Palisades, Huizenga spoke about the impact on energy security and good paying jobs. In February, Huizenga visited Holtec International’s Corporate Technology Center in Camden, New Jersey to see work being done for Palisades.

October 26, 2023 In The News A Michigan GOP lawmaker's sign in support of Israel hanging outside his office in Washington, D.C., was vandalized with bloody handprints, his office said Thursday. Rep. Tim Walberg's office revealed his "I stand with Israel" sign was defaced, with the congressman declaring, "anti-semitism has run rampant across the country." "This is yet another despicable act which should not be tolerated," Walberg, a former pastor, said in a press release. "At a time like this, we must think of our Jewish community members, including those on my staff, who are enduring this targeted behavior and harassment following the largest attack on Jews since the Holocaust," he continued. Walberg's office told Fox News Digital the sign had been put up earlier this week, and that the congressman had tweeted about standing with Israel after the country was attacked by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, sparking a war. The Michigan Republican's office said the congressman employs Jewish staff members and believes the vandalism is unacceptable. Walberg's office also said they have contacted U.S. Capitol Police about the incident. Capitol Police did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Earlier this month, Walberg, who has been vocal in his support for Israel, led a letter with 43 other lawmakers to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona demanding he take action to protect Jewish students on American college campuses. "Many student groups have issued statements condoning and even celebrating the terror attack, which should be considered a modern-day pogrom. Some student groups have even utilized imagery of a paraglider to advertise their rallies, unequivocally celebrating the despicable tactics used by Hamas — a terrorist organization that President Biden stated is a ‘group whose stated purpose for being is to kill Jews,’" the letter reads. Walberg called out universities for portraying themselves as "inclusive and tolerant" and speaking out regarding social issues while remaining silent on the current crisis. "In recent years, schools have been quick to weigh in on a plethora of social issues, but suddenly, many have gone silent as anti-Semitism rages across college campuses. This deafening silence and lack of moral clarity by college administrators comes as student groups openly celebrate a terrorist attack motivated by bigotry," Walberg said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "These schools pride themselves on being inclusive and tolerant, but it is clear there is an anti-Semitism crisis on these campuses, so we’re calling on the Biden administration to take action to protect Jewish students and to visit these schools to examine why they are such a hot-bed for anti-Semitism." Pro-Hamas sentiment could be seen at universities across the country since the attack on Israel this month. An organization called "Cornell Students for Justice in Palestine" introduced an anti-Israel resolution to the student government body this week justifying the Hamas terror attack and Palestinians’ right to "resistance by any means necessary." The vandalism of Walberg's pro-Israel sign also comes as some Democratic members of Congress promote Hamas propaganda and participate in pro-Palestinian protests at the U.S. Capitol complex. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., tripled down on the Hamas narrative that Israel was behind last week's explosion at a Gaza hospital, something that had already been debunked by both Israeli and U.S. intelligence. Tlaib is now facing a censure resolution in the House introduced on Thursday by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. A U.S. Capitol Police spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the department is investigating the incident. This article originally appeared on FoxNews.com on October 26.

Jeff Heppler	Dist 6
John Gisler	Dist 7
Wendy Mazer	Dist 8