(A) Generally, electronic information created and/or communicated by an employee using e-mail, word processing, utility programs, spreadsheets, voicemail, telephones, internet and bulletin board system access and similar electronic media is not reviewed by the township.
(B) However, the following conditions should be noted.
(1) Electronic communications generated by township resources are potentially subject to Freedom of Information Act, being 5 U.S.C. § 552 requests.
(2) The township reserves the right to gather logs for most electronic activities or monitor employee communications directly, e.g., telephone numbers dialed, websites accessed, call length and time at which calls are made, for the following purposes:
(a) Cost analysis;
(b) Resource allocation;
(c) Optimum technical management of information resources; and
(d) Detecting patterns of use that indicate employees are violating township policies or engaging in illegal activity.
(3) The township reserves the right, at its discretion, to review any employee’s electronic files and messages to the extent necessary to ensure electronic media and services are being used in compliance with the law, this policy and other township policies.
(C) Employees should not assume electronic communications are completely private. Accordingly, if they have sensitive information to transmit, they should use other means.
(Board and Administrative Policies Manual, § 8.39)