Hugh Smith wrote:
"This would a good topic for records managers to be out front with.   
How will this economy change our business model??"

Hugh, having been through something similar to this in the early 1980's,
I also wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of records abandoned via
downsizing, closures, etc... Records Managers should try to keep abreast
of anything happening along these lines to begin getting a handle on the
situation before the downsizing/closure occurs. One of the most vivid
memories I have is of the chaos that was left over with the abrupt
closure of CETA offices. CETA was a rather massive federal training
program that was closed literally within weeks. File equipment was
removed, with records content dumped on the floor of vacated offices.
Folks did the best they could to pack and remove these records,
generally in the face of a few days deadline, with threats that the
records would be removed and dumped by the property owners if not packed
quickly. Fortunately, this was done, as within a year, the federal
government began conducting audits related to those records, in one
instance threatening fines of over $2 million if records were not
produced. It took years to untangle this mess. 

Its important, particularly if you are working in a government setting,
to point out that, in times like these, demands on our services may
dramatically increase.

Dwight Wallis, CRM
Records Administrator
Multnomah County Fleet, Records, Electronics, Distribution and Stores
(FREDS)
1620 S.E. 190th Avenue
Portland, OR 97233
Phone: (503)988-3741
Fax: (503)988-3754
[log in to unmask]

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]