To keep a permanent record of all the proceedings of the board and such other records as shall be necessary or desirable for administration of the Fund. For the protection of participating employees and their beneficiaries, the Board, the Executive Director, and its agents and employees are prohibited from disclosing the contents of an employee's files, records, papers or communications relating to individual employees, except for purposes directly connected with the administration of the Fund. In any judicial or administrative proceeding except as such proceeding is directly concerned with the administration of the Fund, such files, records, papers and communications shall be deemed privileged communications. The proceedings of the Board and reports of participating municipalities and instrumentalities shall be public records open to inspection.
40 ILCS 5/7-197