RALEIGH, N.C. -- Governor Easley's cabinet employees apparently need a tutorial and training on how to handle email.

 

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A state panel has recommended the policy change. It panel was formed after allegations surfaced that the Easley administration violated public records laws by deleting e-mails.

 

The panel recommended all state employees under the executive branch who handle public records take an online tutorial and get certified on the policies. An archiving system would be created and records would be backed up on tape for five years rather than the current 30 days.

 

The system to back records up would cost at least $75,000 a year. Chief Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources Staci Meyer said the changes might be a little time consuming to implement, but not difficult.

 

"Hopefully with what we've done here with training, an archival system in place which will make it easier for these records to be managed, and then the backup system that will serve as a deterrent for any documents that are not managed or deleted, to be able to be retrieved later,” Meyer said.

 

The recommendations now go to Governor Easley.