To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Rochelle Brown, Prosecutor’s Office Operations Director
title
RE: Approval of a request by the Genesee County Prosecutor's office to enter into a 5-year contract with Leonard Brothers for storage and retrieval of Prosecutor case files
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
The Prosecutor’s Office requests approval to enter into a 5-year contract with Leonard Brothers for storage and retrieval of Prosecutor case files.
BACKGROUND:
Shue & Voeks was an offsite storage facility utilized by many departments of the county for several years. The Prosecutor’s office was one of the departments that utilized this facility for our old, inactive, offsite file storage for many years. In August 2021, we went on a site visit to the S&V facility to see how our files were stored and kept organized. After the visit, we realized that the conditions in which the files were kept were not ideal. Additionally, the facility lacked appropriate organization to safely maintain our files to ensure proper retrieval and refiling. We also discovered that there was no contract existing governing the fees or other aspects of their service. After this visit our office began looking for other facilities to possibly move and house our case files or move to digitally stored files. Late in 2021 we began meeting with different vendors for scanning and digitizing our case files with the upcoming implementation of a new paperless system. We were able to use ARPA funds to purchase an electronic case management system, called Prosecutor by Karpel (Karpel or PbK). We simultaneously decided to seek a vendor to digitize our physical files, active and inactive, to input into the new system. We are mandated by the state retention schedule to maintain our capital cases for 50 years once completed. It was our intention to digitize these files. After the RFP process and our selection of Leonard Brothers (LB) to be the vendor for scanning and digitizing files they consulted to help us determine whether digitizing inactive files or storing physical files would be more cost effective. They investigated the files at S&V and confirmed our earlier determination that our files were not kept in accordance with current records storage industry best practice. After several meetings with us and becoming familiar with our workflow and procedures, Leonard Bros recommended that it would be more cost effective to store our physical files and use the scan on demand process to access only those needed files instead of scanning all files with was previously estimated by them to at a cost of $1.5 Million. and physical storage of inactive case files until the retention period is up. LB completed the digitization of part one of the RFP relative to our active files and began work on relocating and organizing our archived files, phase II of the RFP, to be stored at their facility. We are paying their month-to-month rate for the files that were moved from S&V.
DISCUSSION:
Previously we had been paying on average a monthly fee to S&V of $700-$900 for storage, retrieval and refiling. Once all files were moved and organized LB provided the attached contracts with reduced pricing. We are currently implementing a file retention policy based on state retention period requirements. This function was neglected for decades. By the end of the fiscal year we will have destroyed a significant portion of the files eligible to be destroyed on the retention plan and are preparing a schedule to destroy another large portion early in the next fiscal year. It is estimated that after these two rounds of destruction our monthly storage costs under contract will be around $300.The unknown portion of the monthly cost is how many retrievals we will need and if they will be physical retrievals or scan on demand.In analyzing our data from S&V retrievals LB advised that we will average about $600-$700 per month.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
None
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
We believe this will move us to a reduction in our service contracts line item relative to file storage.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
None
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
We already have the technology systems in place to manage this, so no anticipated additional cost
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
Promotes safe communities by working with law enforcement agencies in the processing of criminal cases.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to authorize entering into a (5) five-year contract between Genesee County and Leonard Brothers Data Management, Inc., to provide storage, retrieval, and scanning of Prosecutor case files, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the June 11, 2025 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board), and the Chairperson of this Board is authorized to execute the agreement on behalf of Genesee County.