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INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9474
February 21, 2012
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 1 of 2
SUBJECT: ARCHIVING HISTORICAL CITY RECORDS
The purpose of this Informal Report is to respond to Staff Action Tracking Item #4 requested by City
Council on January 10, 2012 to provide an overview and history of the management of City of Fort Worth
historical records.
Because of its unique role in
Municipal Archive.
by Ordinance 12027 Sec. 2-281, was designated in 1995 as the official Preserving
as culture s
history. The first transfer of records to the Library was
correspondence and supporting documents for the Board of Commissioners, which preceded the
establishment of the Mayor/City Council government. Since that original transfer, additional records have
custody. Records include annual budgets, financial reports, master services
plans and many other published documents. The last transfer of official records to the Municipal Archive
was January 18, 2012. Currently the Library houses 176 shelves (390.50 linear feet) of
records.
The Library continues to describe, arrange, preserve and make available to the public the official s
of the City of Fort Worth government as well as local history collections. Local history collections include
the Benbow, Routh Whitley Family Papers, Bennet, Dixie & Martha Post
Telegram Biographical Clippings, Lake, Mary Daggett Garden Club Papers, Hazel Vaugh Leigh Papers,
and
collections of the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogi
City Secretary
The maintains the records of the City Council, including agendas, council
proceeding files, contracts and other original documents of the activities and d
government. The most historical records of the City are the 11.5 hand-written minute books dating from
1873 to May 20, 1902. There are also 84.5 minute books dating from June 16, 1902 to August 29, 1995.
There are also 50 index books that cover some but not all of the listed minute boo
Office also maintains and makes available for use the minutes of City Council meetings fromSeptember 5,
1995 to the present. These books, along with other documents, are housed in an enclosed area of the City
This enclosed area is maintained at 73 degrees, which is not the climatic control
standard for historical records. Older documents, belonging to other departments which might have
,
historical significance or valueare in the basement of the Municipal Buildingwaiting to be appraised and
transferred to the Municipal Archive or appropriately disposed.
The City created, by Ordinance 12027 in 1995, a Records Management program. However, on July 8,
City
the
Secret
per Ordinance 18157-07-2008. The program is headed by the Records Manager
Records and Information Management Office
under the direction of the City Secretary. The serves in
an advisory capacity to City departments regarding the maintenance, preservation and disposition of
records through the use of retention schedules. Records that ha
disposition. Records that have historical value are transferred
City departments
are responsible for managing their own records, but may transfer
on the advice of the Records Management Division and the City Ar
requirement and as a result many historical records remain in the hands of the individual departments.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9474
February 21, 2012
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 2 of 2
SUBJECT: ARCHIVING HISTORICAL CITY RECORDS
These are housed in their administrative offices, in the basemenvariousoff-
site storage locations. Primarily, these are records of immediate administrative value, but also in
historical photographs, minute books from various boards and commissions and other documentation that
have permanent and historical value.
a public process, in 2004, genealogy and local history were identified as a core responsibility of the
Library. In its most recently adopted Master Services Plan, the role of genealogy and local history is
prevalent in recommendations to remodel and expand the Genealogy Local History Division at the Central
Library. The recommended expansion includes additional space for archival storage, increased
accessibility with modern digitization technologies and improved environmental controls for material
preservation and more efficient energy use.
For additional information or responses to questions, please con
817-392-7706 or via city email. Or, please contact City Secretary Mary J. Kayser at 817-392-6161.
Tom Higgins
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS