Larry, I think taking Davis' comment then projecting that to a "total
disregard" for records management simply underlines Davis' role as CIO. I
would not expect him to know every aspect of retention rules - that's our
job. I think his points about the challenges of applying retention to
enterprise data systems are valid - we have had similar challenges applying
retention to SAP.

My only point was to note that the "storage is cheap" solution, all too
common years ago, is becoming less acceptable in much of the IT community,
as evidenced by Davis' remarks. This may be a phenomenon specific to
government, or even my local community. However - particularly with younger
employees - I have been struck by the willingness to partner with records
management on controlling electronic information/records through records
management means. Comments such as Davis' opens doors for further
collaboration. Why slam it shut?

We've developed a great partnership with IT here. They have been one of our
biggest supporters in hiring an Electronic Records Management Analyst
position, and in implementing ERMS solutions. Yet when I first worked with
our current CIO on these issues, she thought that applying retention to
email meant that every user would have to be familiar with all 2,500 record
series listed in our retention schedule! Rather than hammer her for her
ignorance, I saw this as an opportunity for collaboration.

If there is a future for records management, it is a collaborative future.
This is a point I take some exception with Julie Gable regarding
Information Governance. I think IG makes great sense as a model for
collaboration. I think, however, that if it is marketed as a process to put
records management at the head of the table, its going to fail. Lets
present it as a collaborative model, not an ownership model.

Many of us - myself included - have spent much of our careers constantly
fighting for recognition and support. I spent the first 10-15 years in
Multnomah County battling annual budget proposals from IT and others for my
program's elimination. I had to fight similar battles in the City of
Portland, going back to the mid-80's. I still find myself mistrusting IT
motives, and thinking in terms of competition, even battle.

We need to let those battles go, and recognize and build collaborative
futures. We have a younger generation, raised on social media, which takes
to this as reflex; we have an IT community that increasingly validates our
positions.

In my experience, collaboration often begins with empathy for the other's
concerns, active listening, friendly persistence, and educating whenever
possible.

-- 
Dwight Wallis, CRM
Multnomah County Records Management & Distribution Services Manager
1620 SE 190th Avenue
Portland, OR 97233
ph: Records- (503)988-3741
ph: Distribution - (503)988-3533, x29131
cell: (503)260-2263
fax: (503)988-3754
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