title
Approval of general maintenance requirements for Executive Session Minutes and Verbatim Records.
presenter
Presenter: Elizabeth Silas, Interim General Counsel
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Recommendation
The Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Chicago Housing Authority (‘CHA”) recommends that the CHA Board of Commissioners (“Board”) approve the Custodian and Keeper of Records and Official Documents, or his or her designee, to dispose of the verbatim records of those closed Executive Sessions for which: (1) the Board has approved the minutes of the closed Executive Session, regardless of whether the minutes have been released for public review; (2) more than 18 months have elapsed since the date of the closed Executive Session; (3) there is no court order requiring the preservation of such verbatim record; and (4) the Board has not passed a motion requiring the preservation of the verbatim record of that meeting, in Compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Background
Pursuant to Section 2.06 of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, public bodies must keep written minutes and maintain a verbatim audio or video recording of all closed meetings. These records must be preserved for no less than 18 months, remain confidential unless otherwise determined by the public body, and be subject to periodic review to determine whether confidentiality continues to be required.
Handling and permissible disposal of verbatim audio or video recording of all closed meetings, after preservation, as required by statute:
• Creation & Format - Written minutes and verbatim recordings must be created for every executive session.
• Maintenance & Security - These records must be treated as confidential records under CHA policy.
• Retention Periods - Verbatim recordings must be held at least 18 months; written minutes retained until confidentiality is lifted.
• Periodic Review - Board must review closed session minutes every six months, or as soon thereafter as is practicable, taking into account the nature and meeting schedule of the public body.
• Routine Disposal - Recordings may be destroyed only after statutory requirements are satisfied.
Based on the foregoing, it is in the best interest of the CHA for the Board to authorize the Custodian and Keeper of Records and Official Documents, or his or her designee, to undertake the disposition of the verbatim records of the closed Executive Sessions, consistent with the requirements described above.
Respectfully Submitted:
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Keith Pettigrew
Chief Executive Officer