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Home My WebLink About07B Historical Records Transfer City Council Action Request Form Meeting Date 9/7/2016 Department Administration Agenda Category Consent Agenda Title Historical Records Transfer Staff Recommendation Authorize entrance into a Government Records Depository Agreement with the Washington County Historical Society and Minnesota Historical Society for the transfer of historical records. Budget Implication Attachments Memo from N Belscamper Government Records Depository Agreement Attachment A (Records to be transferred to Washington County Historical Society Records to be transferred to Minnesota Historical Society/State Archives To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members From: Neil Belscamper, Deputy City Clerk Date: August 16, 2016 Subject: Historical Records Transfer to Washington County Historical Society and Minnesota Historical Society/State Archives Background The City of Cottage Grove is in possession of a number of historical records dating as far back as the mid-1800s. They range from Certificates of Birth/Death/Stillbirth, Court Records, Road Books, Audit Reports, Election Registers, and Town Minutes. While these documents probably have little practical value to the City, they may well have historical significance that merits cataloging and preservation—functions better suited to organizations that routinely handle these types of records. The City’s Historic Preservation Officer John Burbank recently spoke with a representative of the Washington County Historical Society about these records, and they indicated that they would be interested in taking possession of, cataloging and preserving them. The Washington County Historical Society is a private non-profit organization that has been in existence since 1934. I also spoke with Charles Rodgers of the Minnesota Historical Society and State Archives and he informed me that there are restrictions on the transfer of certain records, such as the Birth/Dealth/Stillbirth Records, but that those records could be transferred to the State Archives. Staff Recommendation Authorize entrance into a Government Records Depository Agreement with the Washington County Historical Society and Minnesota Historical Society for the transfer of historical records to the Washington County Historical Society and to the Minnesota Historical Society/State Archives. GOVERNMENT RECORDS DEPOSITORY AGREEMENT This AGREEMENT is entered on the last day of execution below between the City of Cottage Grove, the Washington County Historical Society, and the Minnesota Historical Society, and is made for the purpose of the transfer of Historical Records (see Attachment A). RECITALS Whereas, the following facts support this Agreement: A. The City of Cottage Grove has maintained various Cottage Grove Township and related records as listed in Attachment A as official records, as required by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 15.17. B. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 138.161 through 138.25, the Minnesota Historical Society administers the State Archives and may accept government records as a gift. C. The Washington County Historical Society is prepared to take custody of the records as listed in Attachment A, to preserve and maintain them for future research. D. All parties desire to preserve the records as listed in Attachment A, for future research and their historical value. NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed by and between the parties: A. That City of Cottage Grove will donate the records as listed in Attachment A, as a gift to the Washington County Historical Society. B. It is further agreed that the City of Cottage Grove shall transfer custody of the records as listed in Attachment A, to the Washington County Historical Society to be kept and managed in accordance with the requirements of law and subject to the following conditions: 1. CUSTODY. Custody of the records will be transferred to the Washington County Historical Society. 2. REVERSION OF CUSTODY. The records will not be transferred to the custody of another institution without authorization from City of Cottage Grove and from the Minnesota Historical Society. If the Washington County Historical Society seeks to relinquish custody of the records and its depository rights, it will notify the City of Cottage Grove and the Minnesota Historical Society, in writing, of its intent to destroy or otherwise dispose of the records. Within 90 days of receiving such a notice, the City of Cottage Grove and the Minnesota Historical Society shall advise the Washington County Historical Society in writing as to whether or not the records may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of. 3. PUBLIC USE. The records will be available for public use during normal business hours, and access to the records will be provided subject to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 138.17, and Chapter 13 (Minnesota Government Data Practices Act). 4. STORAGE. The records will be placed in a storage area that meets archival storage guidelines as recommended by the Minnesota Historical Society. 5. DISPLAY. The records may be used by the Washington County Historical Society or Minnesota Historical Society for display purposes, provided that standard security precautions are followed in regard to the display. 6. RELEASE OF INTEREST. The undersigned do mutually agree and acknowledge that City of Cottage Grove shall release all interests therein and shall give over to the Washington County Historical Society the records as listed in Attachment A, for the purpose of research. 7. REPRODUCTION OF RECORDS. The City of Cottage Grove agrees that the records or any part thereof may be reproduced by the Washington County Historical Society at any time without compensation to the City of Cottage Grove. 8. COSTS. The City of Cottage Grove shall pay no costs associated with the maintenance, retrieval, or storage of the records. The Washington County Historical Society, in accepting custody, care, and control of said records, accepts no liability related to the condition, completeness, maintenance, and use of the records; the Washington County Historical Society accepts only the costs related to the physical storage of the records as an archival repository. 9. GUIDELINES. The Washington County Historical Society and the City of Cottage Grove agree to follow all guidelines issued by the state Records Disposition Panel and the Minnesota Historical Society governing the disposition of government records to other repositories (Appendix A). It is further agreed that each party shall work cooperatively to assure the continued preservation of the records as listed in Attachment A as official records. Dated:_______________________ City of Cottage Grove By____________________________ By____________________________ Dated:_______________________ Washington County Historical Society By_____________________________ By_____________________________ Dated:_______________________ MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY By______________________________ By______________________________ Attachment A TitleTypeYear(s)Condition Annual Town Meeting DocumentsLoose Documents1950sGood Bills Allowed and Orders Drawn3-Ring Binder1970 - 1974Good - Onion Skin and Regular Paper - Marked "Scanned". Bundle of loose binder clipped pages inserted. Correspondence/Various BusinessLoose Documents??Various unrelated loose document. Dance PermitsCardboard CoverBlank DocumentsGood Justice DocketHardbound1898 - 1948Binding in poor condition; pages generally good Maroon Post BindingPost BindingEmptyGood Minnesota Wolf Bounty LawSoftbound Carbon Forms Book1942Good Minutes Cottage Grove, MinnHardboundSeptember 6, 1960 - August 23, 1961Handwritten minutes. Very good condition. Minutes of Town of COTTAGE GROVE Hardcover Post Binder1961 - 1964Typewritten onionskin paper. Some disorganized loose MINNESOTApages in back. Generally good condition. Some ragged September 1, 1961 - NOV 1964edges. Minutes Town of Cottage GroveHardboundMarch 11, 1890 - May 5, 1931Binding in poor condition. Handwritten pages generally in good condition. Loose Auditor's Office receipts in front. Quarantine Cards and InstructionsLoose Documents1949Good Road Book for the Town of Cottage Hardbound1862 - 1913Good Grove Road Petitions Envelope 1862, 1964 - Envelope - Loose Documents1862, 1964 - 1867Good 1867 Special Town Meeting October 17, Envelope - Loose DocumentsOctober 17, 1963Good 1963; Special Fire District Thompson Grove County Club Hardbound Post Binding??Blank Book Corporate Records Town Book for Town of Cottage GroveHardboundOctober 20, 1858 - March 4, 1890Binding in poor condition. Handwritten pages generally in good condition. Some fairly exquisite handwriting. Town of Cottage Grove - Town SealSeal Embosser(blank)Good Town of Cottage Grove Court RecordsHardcover 4-Ring Binder1961 - 1965Good - Marked "Scanned". Good Condition 1964 - 1965Good - Marked "Scanned". Town of Cottage Grove MinutesHardbound1931 - 1960Binding Poor Condition - Marked "Not Scanned". Unmarked Wolf and Fox Bounty Claim Softbound Carbon Forms Book1940sGood Book Wolf Bounty Forms - No CoverSoftbound Carbon Forms Book??Good Documents to Transfer to Minnesota Historical Society/State Archives TitleTypeYear(s)Condition Burial Permits/Department of Health Loose DocumentsVariousGood Documents Certified Copy of Death/Certified Copy Loose Blank Forms??Good of Birth Forms Cottage Grove Register of Indexed Hardcover1871 - 1900Binding Poor Condition - Some Water Damaged Pages Births/Register of Deaths Minnesota State Department of Health Hardcover Post Binder1947 - 1953 (Registered No. 160 - 177)Good - Marked "Scanned". Mostly Blank Forms. Loose Certificates of Birth/Death/and Stillbirthcorrespondence and instruction sheets included. Register of Births and DeathsIndexed Hardcover1913 - 1948Binding Poor Condition