New York Laws
Article 57-A - Local Government Records Law
57.17 - Definitions.

§ 57.17. Definitions. Wherever used in this article, the following
terms shall have the respective meanings hereinafter set forth:

1. "Local government" means any county, city, town, village, school
district, board of cooperative educational services, district
corporation, public benefit corporation, public corporation, or other
government created under state law that is not a state department,
division, board, bureau, commission or other agency, heretofore or
hereafter established by law.

2. "Governing body" means the town board, village board of trustees,
city council, county legislature or board of supervisors, board of
education or board of trustees of a school district or board of
cooperative educational services, board of fire commissioners or other
body authorized by law to govern the affairs of a local government.

3. "Local officer" shall mean and include a local officer as defined
in section two of the public officers law and any officer of a public
benefit corporation.

4. "Record" means any book, paper, map, photograph, or other
information-recording device, regardless of physical form or
characteristic, that is made, produced, executed, or received by any
local government or officer thereof pursuant to law or in connection
with the transaction of public business. Record as used herein shall not
be deemed to include library materials, extra copies of documents
created only for convenience of reference, and stocks of publications.

5. "Retention period" means the minimum length of time that must
elapse before a record is eligible for disposition.

6. "Records retention and disposition schedule" means a list or other
instrument describing records and their retention periods which is
issued by the commissioner of education.

7. "Disposition" means the disposal of a record by destruction, sale,
gift, transfer to the local government archives, or by other authorized
means.