California Surveyors Forums

Another poll

Yes - and they should be indexed.

Many jurisdictions will not index and store unfiled records, even if provided because they do not have the space or other resources to maintain those records. If they were required to accept, file, and index them, counties would be required to provide the CS with the means to follow the law. As it is now, some counties do file and index them in their Miscellaneous Maps records (kudos to all who do). In some other counties, the CS has not been given the space or resources to properly file and index them, but they try to maintain an unofficial file to the best of their ability. Too often in those cases, sometime after the CS who maintains the unofficial file retires or leaves, some engineer or other managerial type directs that those boxes of "old useless papers" be thrown away to make space for more cubicles to house new engineering CAD techs. (Kudos to those CSs for trying). In still others, the CS doesn't try to keep the records for future reference or distribution for one or more of several reasons ranging from knowing the value but foreseeing eventual permanent loss of the records, recognizing that they are ultimately safer in private hands, to not being willing to expend any resources on any matters for which funding is not available, to having no recognition of the value or potential value of currently unfiled records.