Maintain scratch space

Event: first project-context load after the initial user prompt of a fresh agent session. Check once per project per session, before substantive work; follow-up tasks, rereading instructions, and context-window compaction do not retrigger it.

Timer: maintain-scratch in agents/scratch/timers.json, default interval_days: 7. Use the shared timer contract. This trigger is independent of skill self-improvement enablement.

When due:

1. Read the index and records. Delete routine change logs, completion receipts, and duplicates of Git history or canonical guidance. Consolidate useful state into current summaries: unresolved work, operational policy, and evidence needed to avoid regression or redundant experiments.
2. Archive only evidence with a concrete future use; do not move clutter into an archive by default. Keep active records resumable and repair links. Promote lasting contracts to canonical documentation where appropriate; never discard sole copies of needed evidence or sweep unrelated temporary files.
3. Verify the index, links, and retained context, then stamp only this timer's completion. A completed review finding nothing to compact still counts. Include maintenance in the next authorized commit.

Coordinate with active writers. Read-only, interrupted, or unsafe concurrent work leaves the timer unchanged; report the deferral. scratch-space governs ordinary note upkeep between passes, which does not reset this timer.

The host must load the startup instruction. No fresh session means no periodic check; this skill does not install a scheduler.