HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-213RESOLUTION 98 - 213
ADOPTING COMPUTER AND INTERNET USE POLICY
FOR THE CITY OF STII,LWATER
BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council ~f the City of Stillwater, Minnesota, that the
Computer and Internet Use Policy for the City of Stillwater is hereby adopted.
Adopted by Council this 18~' day of August, 1998.
Attest:
Jay imble, Mayor
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or Weldon, City Clerk
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City of Stillwater
3 GENERAL COMPUTER POLICIES
08/01 /98
3.01 City Ownership. All software, programs, applications, templates, data, and data files residing on
municipal computer systems or storage media or developed on municipal computer systems are the
property of the City of Stillwater. The city retains the right to access, copy, change, alter, modify,
destroy, delete or erase this property.
Computers, computer files, any E-mail system, and software furnished to employees are City property
intended for business use. Employees should not use a password, access a file, or retrieve any stored
communication without authorization. To ensure compliance with this policy, computer and E-mail
usage may be monitored.
3.02 Copying Software, Programs, Applications, Templates, Etc. In many cases, copyright laws and/or
licenses for commercial software, programs, applications, and templates used by the City prohibit
making multiple copies. The City and its employees are required to abide by the federal copyright laws
and to abide by all such licensing agreements. Employees may only use software on local area networks
or on multiple machines according to the software license agreement.
3.03 Back-Up of Data Files. Employees are expected to regularly back-up computer data files
in order to avoid irretrievable loss through hardware failure.
3.04 Use of Employee Microcomputers to Work on City Data Files. Employees who own personal
microcomputers may wish to use them for work at home. Those who choose to do so must adhere to this
procedure guideline with regard to use of City-owned software or data files. Use of outside computers
introduces the risk that a "computer virus" could infect City computer systems. Data files must be
checked by virus detecting software before copying them back to City computers.
3.05 Inappropriate Uses. The following is a list of prohibited behaviors or uses of the City's computer
systems and resources. Engaging in these behaviors or using the City's computer systems in an
inappropriate manner will result in disciplinary action.
• The display, printing, or transmission of sexually explicit images, messages, and cartoons is not
allowed. Other such misuse includes, but is not limited to, ethnic slurs, racial comments, off-color
jokes, or anything that may be construed as harassment or showing disrespect for others.
• Using the City's computer systems or knowingly allowing another to use the City's systems for
personal profit, commercial product advertisement or partisan political purposes. The E-mail system
may not be used to solicit anyone for commercial ventures, religious or political causes.
• Infringing on third party copyrights or other intellectual property rights, license agreements or other
contracts; for example, illegally installing or making available copyrighted software.
• Inappropriate copying, modifying, distributing, transmitting or displaying files or other data or
information resources.
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City of Stillwater 08/01/98
Sharing your user ID or password with any other person. In the result that you do
share your user ID or password with another person, you will be solely responsible
for the actions that other person appropriated.
• Any unauthorized, deliberate action that damages or disrupts a computing system, alters its
normal performance, or causes it to malfunction.
• Use of systems and/or networks in attempts to gain unauthorized access to remote systems.
• Decryption of system or user passwords.
• Unauthorized copying of system files.
• Intentional attempts to "crash" network systems or programs.
• The willful introduction of computer "viruses" or other disruptive/destructive programs into the
organization network or into external networks.
• Sending anonymous E-mail messages.
Employees should notify their immediate supervisor, the City Coordinator or any member of
management upon learning of violations of this policy. Employees who violate this policy will be
subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring the appropriate use of computers, E-mail, and
Internet access through training, supervising, coaching, and taking disciplinary action, when necessary.
4 INTERNET POLICY
4.01 Internet access to global electronic information resources on the World Wide Web is provided by the
City to assist employees in obtaining work-related data and technology. The following guidelines have
been established to help ensure responsible and productive Internet usage.
4.02 All Internet data that is composed, transmitted, or received via our computer communications systems is
considered to be part of the official records of the City and, as such, is subject to disclosure to law
enforcement or other third parties. Consequently, employees should always ensure that the business
information contained in Internet email messages and other transmissions is accurate, appropriate,
ethical, and lawful.
4.03 The equipment, services, and technology provided to access the Internet remain at all times the property
of the City. As such, the City reserves the night to monitor Internet traffic, and retrieve and read any data
composed, sent, or received through its online connections and stored in its computer systems.
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City of Stillwater 08/01/98
4.04 Data that is composed, transmitted, accessed, or received via the Internet must not contain content that
could be considered discriminatory, offensive, obscene, threatening, harassing, intimidating, or
disruptive to any employee or other person.
4.05 The unauthorized use, installation, copying, or distribution of copyrighted, trademarked, or patented
material on the Internet is expressly prohibited. As a general rule, if an employee did not create material,
does not own the rights to it, or has not gotten authorization for its use, it should not be put on the
Internet.
4.06 Internet users should take the necessary anti-virus precautions before downloading or copying any file
from the Internet. All downloaded files aze to be checked for viruses; all compressed files are to be
checked before and after decompression.
5 E-MAIL
5.01 Policy. E-mail (electronic mail) plays an increasingly significant role in our communications. Along
with the benefits of E-mail, come increasing risks and responsibilities.
Employees are responsible for adhering to City standards when E-mail is created, sent, forwarded or
saved. Failure to adhere puts the City and the individual at risk for legal or financial liabilities, potential
embarrassment and other consequences. E-mail documents are public documents.
City of Stillwater policies and procedures are adopted to make employees aware of the risks associated
with using E-mail and to advise them on the City's requirements regazding the use of E-mail.
This policy also applies to all contractors, consultants, volunteers, agents or any other persons who have
gained or are given access to the E-mail system.
5.02 City Policies. All other City policies apply to E-mail, even if E-mail is not specifically mentioned in
those policies. Examples include the data retention policy as well as various sections of the personnel
policy.
5.03 Violations . Violation of these policies may result in the cancellation of the violator's E-mail account and
may be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment with the City of
Stillwater.
5.04 Purpose of E-mail. The E-mail system is a City-owned tool and is to be used for matters directly related
to the business activities of the City of Stillwater and as a means to further the City's mission by
providing services that are efficient, accurate, timely and complete. In order to provide excellent
services, the City promotes strong working relationships among employees and a supportive working
environment. For example, news .about employees or notices of union or department events would be
considered as City business.
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City of Stillwater
08/01/98
5.05 Public Nature of E-mail. E-mail is a public record like any other public document. E-mail may be
searched for evidence in any legal proceeding. By using the E-mail system, the employee consents that
the following authorized City representatives, the City Coordinator, Department Head, Supervisor, and
systems' administrator, may review any messages on the system, may use any information for any
legitimate business, legal or disciplinary purpose and may disclose or disseminate such messages to
appropriate third parties.
5.06 Retention of E-mail. E-mail messages meet the State of Minnesota definition of a "record." As such,
specific classifications of E-mail shall be retained according to the City of Stillwater Records
Management Policy. E-mail falls into two classifications:
Record of value: E-mail is considered a record of value if it is required for ongoing legal, fiscal,
administrative, operational or research purposes. These records shall be saved by the user to a word
processing or paper file for storage according to City retention requirements. Example: Official
correspondence regarding a litigated matter.
Transitory record. E-mail that does not fall into the above classification is considered a transitory record.
Transitory records are generally documents of short-term interest that have no documentary or evidential
value. The user is not required to save or convert a transitory record. Example: Quasi-official notices
including memoranda and other records that do not serve as the basis for official actions, such as notices
for meetings or holidays. Almost all E-mail falls into this category and may be deleted immediately.
5.07 Prohibition on Inappropriate Message Contents
The E-mail system shall not be used for:
• charitable solicitations or support for outside organizations (unless sponsored by the
City)
• outside business or commercial activities for the purpose of financial gain
• political activity
• religious solicitations or causes _
The E-mail system shall not be used to promote, foster or perpetuate discrimination on the basis of race,
creed, color, age, religion, sex, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national origin,
physical or mental disability, or affectional preference. The following types of E-mail messages, though
not exhaustive, are strictly prohibited:
• E-mail that is of an offensive, harassing, threatening or disruptive nature. Among those which may
be considered offensive are messages which contain sexual implications, racial slurs, gender-specific
comments, or any other comment that offensively addresses someone's age, sexual orientation,
religious or political beliefs, national origin or disability.
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City of Stillwater
08/01198
• E-mail that contains any kind of sexually explicit remarks, material or attached documents or which
may be a violation of the City's policy on sexual harassment. In addition, sexually explicit material
which is disallowed under the City's sexual harassment policy shall not be archived, stored,
distributed, edited or recorded using the City's E-mail resources, unless done so for the purpose of
an investigation or litigation.
5.08 Right of Inspection and Duty to Report Abuses. By using the E-mail system, all users consent that
authorized City representatives may, at their discretion, inspect, use or disclose any E-mail or other
electronic communications and/or data without further notice. The City does not systematically inspect
all records and relies on users to report offensive or inappropriate material to their immediate
supervisor or the Personnel Officer.
5.09 User's Responsibility for Security. Users are responsible for the security of their E-mail account
password and any E-mail that is sent via their account. To protect accounts against unauthorized use,
take the following precautions:
• Protect passwords against unauthorized use. The user is responsible for messages sent via their
account. Correspondingly, do not read, use or tamper with someone else's account without their
knowledge and consent. Unauthorized use of an E-mail account may be unlawful.
• Change passwords on a regular basis. Passwords can be stolen, guessed or inadvertently made
available.
5.10 Messages Sent Outside the City_. -When the user sends a message outside the City, either through the
Internet or other pathways, the message will be identified as coming from the user at the City of
Stillwater. Because the user represents the City and because the user's messages are public information,
all such E-mail shall conform to acceptable business standards. Users shall not disclose on the Internet
"Not Public Data" or "Attorney-Client Privileged" communications or any data protected by the
Minnesota Data Practices Act. In addition, Internet communications shall not include inappropriate
message content as defined by this policy.
Computer Policy 6