Surveyor warns county records have been moved and are inaccessible, urges restoration of public access

During public comment, surveyor Scott Week told the Colfax County Commission that official land records and plats recently moved from the clerk’s office to another building are disorganized and difficult to access.

Week said he previously relied on in‑office access to original plats and deeds and now must rely on clerks to retrieve records, a slower process. "When they were here, I was able to walk in, get to a computer, get to the original documents, the plats, and see them... I can't find them. That's my concern. The records aren't being properly stored," Week said.

He described physical deterioration and disorganization of plat books now stored "stuffed in a closet in the backroom. The covers aren't on them. They're not being well maintained." Week said these are official county records and urged the commission and clerk to organize and protect them for surveyors, attorneys and public users. He noted digitization had occurred but said digitized records were not providing the access he needs.

The commission acknowledged the concern; no formal action was taken during the meeting and staff did not provide an immediate timeline for remedying the access issues.