(A) The city's electronic resources are provided for the transaction of official business of the city. This policy is intended to establish rules applicable to all city personnel to ensure the city's electronic resources are appropriately utilized and protected.
(B) All data that is stored on city-owned media is city property. To properly maintain and manage this data, the management may exercise at any time its right to inspect, record, and/or remove any, or all, information contained in computer databases, files, and email records, and to take appropriate action should unauthorized, or improper, usage be discovered.
(C) All employees and officers who use computer equipment and software in the performance of their duties shall take all reasonable and necessary precautions to prevent damage to the equipment and software. To ensure the city's computer system and software integrity, all employees and officers are prohibited from connecting any hardware, or loading any software, onto the system, or any individual component of the system, unless the hardware, or software, has been specifically approved in advance by the city's contracted informational technology contractor.
(D) Access to the data stored on the city's computer systems shall be limited to city employees and officers who require such access for the performance of their assigned duties. Employees or officers may not attempt to use passwords to gain access to coworkers' email or computer files without appropriate authorization.
(E) No employee or officer shall make copies of data or software programs owned by the city for their own personal use, or for any purpose not required by the employee's assigned duties. If a software licensing agreement authorizes the reproduction of software, and an employee desires to obtain a copy of the software for installation on a single home computer to assist the employee in the performance of assigned duties outside of regular office hours, the employee shall seek specific approval from the city's contracted informational technology contractor before copying the software.
(F) All city business email communications shall be conducted through the city email accounts. No city business conducted by an officer or employee of the city shall occur through a personal email account. Any city business conducted outside of the city email account will be subject to open records and it is the responsibility of the employee or officer to retain those messages in accordance with the Open Records Act and the Kentucky Department of Library and Archives Schedule and the Email and Communications Retention Schedule, as set out in the Appendix to the Employee Handbook. Questions regarding any recordkeeping requirements should be directed to the City Clerk.
(G) Employees or officers should have no expectation of privacy associated with information they transmit through, or store in, electronic mail programs owned by the city, even those on a cell phone. All messages and data processed electronically over the city-owned computers and communications systems are city property and may be subject to the Open Records Act.
(H) In order to maintain the integrity and security of the city computer resources, employees or officers are strictly prohibited from downloading any software, unless prior approval is granted by the employee's supervisor after consultation with the city's contracted informational technology contractor. Excessive use of the internet for personal reasons during work hours may be grounds for disciplinary action.
(I) Internet usage is intended for job-related activities; however, incidental, and occasional brief personal use is permitted within reasonable limits.
(J) All internet data that is composed, transmitted, or received via the city's computer communications systems is part of the official city records, and as such, is subject to disclosure to law enforcement or open records requests. Consequently, employees should always ensure that the business information contained in internet email messages and other transmissions is accurate, appropriate, ethical, and lawful.
(K) The equipment, services, and technology provided to access the internet always remain the city property. As such, the city reserves the right to monitor internet traffic, and retrieve and read any data composed, sent, or received through city online connections and stored in the city computer systems.
(L) The electronic mail, and other information systems including facsimile machines, of the city are not to be used in a way that may be disruptive, offensive to others, or harmful to morale.
(M) There is to be no display or transmission of: sexually explicit images; messages; or cartoons; or any transmission or use of email communications that contain: ethnic slurs; racial epithets; or anything that may be construed as harassment or disparagement of others based on their race, national origin, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religious or political beliefs or any other protected class.
(Ord. 5-11-2023-A, passed 6-8-2023)