State Archives requests modest ongoing funding and one-time modernization to preserve electronic records

State Archives and Record Services told the Government Operations Committee that the office has accelerated records-appeal processing since creating a full-time government records office and is seeking modest ongoing and one-time funds to begin a trusted digital-preservation program and update equipment.

Unidentified Department presenter said the archives resolved about “170 appeals” since the government records office was created last summer, and Ken Williams said scheduling for records hearings has improved "to under the 2 month mark," down from 6–7 months previously.

Archives asked for $110,000 ongoing to begin ingesting and preserving electronic records to archival standards and to provide public access. It also requested one-time funding to modernize a legacy content-management system (moving toward the open-source/shared version used by other state archives and universities) and to replace lift/forklift equipment at the Clearfield records center for staff life‑safety and operational efficiency. Ken said the move to an open‑source, shared CMS requires an upfront investment but should result in a similar ongoing contract cost and greater collaboration with a broader user community.

Committee members asked whether migrating to open-source would save money; Archives said it is primarily an investment now with expected stable ongoing costs and operational benefits, and that the equipment requests respond to life-safety concerns for staff who access high shelving in the Clearfield stacks.

The department also proposed an internal transfer from administrative-rules on-lapsing authority to support archives operations; legislative staff flagged that some transfers may require statutory language and further committee review.

Lawmakers and staff asked for cost breakouts and further justification for the one-time modernization requests; archives said it will provide additional detail.