The City of Fresno FresGO Mobile App Policy

The City of Fresno (“City”) is currently engaged in upgrading the “FresGo” app on the Apple and Android platforms for the purpose of connecting the citizens of the City of Fresno government services. This app will enhance the public’s ability to access City of Fresno Services. The City of Fresno is of the understanding that when a registered user delete’s their account, it would result in the loss of that user’s data. Allowing this feature to be enabled may result in a violation of the California Public Records Act as well as State of California retention policies. As such, California’s Public Records Act states the following:
California Public Records Requirements:

7920.530. (a) As used in this division, “public records” includes any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. (b) “Public records” in the custody of, or maintained by, the Governor’s office means any writing prepared on or after January 6, 1975.

7922.525. (a) Public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a state or local agency and every person has a right to inspect any public record, exempted as otherwise provided. (b) Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be available for inspection by any person requesting the record after deletion of the portions that are exempted by law.

The City of Fresno follows the State of California’s records retention policy (City of Fresno Resolution 2008-243) which states that public records are to be kept for 3 years. This applies to all electronic messages whether they are email, text messaging, instant messaging and other electronic records (which would include FresGo work orders).
If all user records are erased due to an account deletion, the City of Fresno will be impaired in its ability to uphold the law. Therefore, the City of Fresno is requesting that this feature be disallowed to preserve the data.
Thank you and please feel free to contact me at (559) 621-7101 or via email at [email protected] if you have any questions.