CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

City Clerk

RESOLUTION 09–80

A RESOLUTION OF THE city council of homer, alaska, urging State of Alaska Representatives to Support H.R. 2256, THE “Preserving the American Historical Record” ACT and Requesting that Once the Act is adopted, the Funds be redistributed to Local Municipalities to Meet the Mandates of Alaska Statute 29.20.380.

WHEREAS, H.R. 2256, the “Preserving the American Historical Record” (PAHR) Act, proposes to provide formula-based funding to all fifty states for statewide projects and redistribution of funds to local governments, historical societies, library historical collections, universities, and other organizations; and

WHEREAS, This bill seeks to ensure essential care of and improved access to documents and historical records in many forms, from paper to electronic media; and

WHEREAS, Under the PAHR Act, states and local municipalities would establish strategic funding priorities reflecting local needs for projects in the following areas:

Ø Creating access tools, including archival finding aids, documentary editions, indexes, and images of key records online;

Ø Preservation actions, such as digitization projects, electronic records archives, and collections assessment;

Ø Disaster preparedness and recovery initiatives for essential records;

Ø Educational initiatives to use historical records in creative ways, including development of teaching materials for K-12, college students, new immigrant populations, and lifelong learners;

Ø Programs to provide education and training to archivists and others who care for historical records, in particular to ensure they are prepared both to manage the electronic records being created and to provide online access for public use; and

WHEREAS, Once adopted the PAHR Act will provide the State of Alaska with $870,929 to distribute to local municipalities; and

WHEREAS, The State of Alaska, recognizing the importance of municipal records, adopted Alaska Statute 29.20.380, which mandates that each Alaska municipal clerk comply with the Public Records Act and states that each clerk must “manage municipal records and develop retention schedules and procedures for inventory, storage, and destruction of records as necessary; maintain an indexed file of all permanent municipal records, provide for codification of ordinances, and authenticate or certify records as necessary”; and

WHEREAS, While carrying out the prescribed duties, the direct financial burden of this edict fall solely on the municipality.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Homer, Alaska, that State Legislators are encouraged to support the H.R. 2256, the PAHR Act, and that once the Act is adopted, the funds be redistributed to local municipalities to further the mandates of Alaska Statute 29.20.380.

PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE HOMER CITY COUNCIL this 10^th day of August, 2009.

CITY OF HOMER

______________________________________

DENNIS NOVAK, MAYOR PRO TEMPORE

ATTEST:

______________________________

JO JOHNSON, CMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: N/A