A. A municipal governing body may destroy, sell for salvage or otherwise dispose of the following papers, documents and records after the expiration of the specified period of time following the end of the fiscal year in which the paper, document or record was created, except as otherwise specified:

1. One (1) year: parking citations may be destroyed or otherwise permanently disposed of one (1) year after the date of issuances;

2. Two (2) years: municipal court warrants, water, sewer, garbage and utility receipts and statements, which have been previously audited; inspection records relating to water meters and sewer inspections; miscellaneous petitions and letters addressed to the governing body on matters other than pertaining to the items hereinafter set forth; utility billing ledger or register; utility cash receipts ledger or register; and utility accounts receivable ledger or register. Fire run contracts may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of two (2) years after their expiration;

3. Five (5) years: successful and unsuccessful bids for the purchase or furnishing of equipment, material and improvements; inspection records except as provided for in paragraph 2 of this section; claims that have been denied; license applications; bonds; special, primary and general election payrolls; election tabulations and returns; withholding statements; garnishment records; traffic tickets and receipts; bond receipts and fine receipts; information and complaints; court dockets; paid general obligation and revenue bonds; paid street improvement, sewer and sidewalk district bonds; warrants; claims; checks; vouchers; purchase orders; payrolls;

4. Ten (10) years: inventories; appropriation ledgers; sidewalk assessment records, except payment records; cash receipt book or register for the general fund, the street and alley fund, any bond fund or sinking fund and all other trust funds that have been audited; and

5. Fifteen (15) years: sewer and improvement district records, except payment records.

None of the above-mentioned records, papers or documents pertaining to pending litigation shall be disposed of until such litigation is finally terminated. This section shall not be construed to authorize or allow the destruction of any testing laboratory results or the inspection records of public improvements of a municipality.

B. Time limits for the destruction, sale, or other disposition of municipal papers, documents and records which are not mentioned in subsection A of this section may be determined and set by ordinance or resolution of the municipal governing body.

Added by Laws 1977, c. 256, § 22-131, eff. July 1, 1978. Amended by Laws 1982, c. 166, § 1; Laws 1987, c. 173, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1987; Laws 1990, c. 83, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 1996, c. 83, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1996.