Shredder Needed To Cut Record Storage Costs, Judge Says
Last updated Tuesday, June 5, 2007 10:21 PM CDT in News
By Scarlet Sims
THE MORNING NEWS
BENTONVILLE -- The narrow aisles are crammed with shelf after shelf of adjudicated case files, everything from mundane misdemeanors to murders.
Those files need shredding, Benton County Judge Gary Black told justices of the peace during a tour of the old jail Tuesday.
Black pointed at every cell, noting how each was stuffed with boxes of unorganized files dating back at least seven years. Those files are in the way. As the county grows, more storage space is needed, he said.
Records are also being stored in Springdale, Black said.
The Benton County Finance Committee approved buying a high-capacity paper shredder for about $28,000 during its regular meeting Tuesday.
"I've seen this for years -- where we've had to move around to make room for stuff," said Justice of the Peace Marge Wolf, R-Rogers. "I would tell you this is a necessity, especially in today's times."
The industrial shredder is capable of shredding up to 3 1/2 tons of paper per hour, according to the machine's manufacturer. It tears through bookbinding and doesn't require removing paper clips or staples, Black said. The machine shreds 500 pages at a time.
"It might be a little bit of an overkill -- the size of it," Black said. "But I'd rather have one that's a little too big."
State law requires closed cases be kept for only a handful of years, then the county may destroy the records, Black said. Murder cases won't be destroyed, but files will be combed through and thinned, he said.
The county currently spends thousands of dollars to have companies shred confidential papers, Black said.
Not just case files need shredding.
The Benton County Election Commission shreds unused ballots, said Election Coordinator Jim McCarthy. Having an outside company shred them costs about $800 per election, he said.
Long term, the county could save money by cutting costs for storage and shredding, Black said.
The county's shredder will be purchased using money the road department returned to the general fund and is not a new appropriation, said County Comptroller Richard McComas.
Black said no extra employees will be needed to run the machine.
AT A GLANCE
Benton County Finance Committee
The Finance Committee approved the Sheriff's Office collection of a $5 booking fee and a $20 fee on convicted inmates. The fees would help offset maintenance and operation costs at the county jail, said Benton County Sheriff Keith Ferguson.
Source: Staff Report
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