Register of Wills seeks $1.2 million for IT, archives and equipment as office handles Real ID surge

John P. Sabatina, register of wills and clerk of Orphans’ Court, told the Philadelphia City Council Committee of the Whole that his office is requesting $1,200,000 in additional funding for fiscal 2026 to replace an aging records system, restore archives and update computers.

The request, Sabatina said during a budget hearing, breaks down to $500,000 for a legacy system replacement, $500,000 for an archives restoration project and $150,000 to cover accrued terminal leave for a retiring employee; the office also asked for $100,000 for new computers. “This year, we're asking for $1,200,000,” a senior office official said when summarizing the funding needs.

Why it matters: The Register of Wills manages probate, records and historical documents the office says are increasingly fragile. The department told council members auditors recommended system upgrades for internal controls and record viewing; officials also said a new system would create a public portal for searching and requesting documents.

Officials described the timeline and scope for technology upgrades. Emilio de Gregorio, who identified himself as staff for the register, said the city’s Office of Innovation and Technology is finishing technical specifications and the office expects to release a request for proposals in June. “I think we would release that RFP, hopefully, June,” de Gregorio said. He told council the new system would “give the public full free access to view records, request records, streamline payment processes.”

On archives, the office said prior work included a roughly $300,000, one-year contract for scanning and preservation; auditors and a vendor review found that full restoration of decaying paper records would require “a lot of money,” likely running into the millions. A department finance official said the restoration request is aimed at records in multiple storage locations that are deteriorating.

Operational pressures and Real ID: Council members pressed the office on an increase in walk-in and mail record requests tied to Real ID and passport documentation. The register’s staff said the office normally processes about 40 records a day but has experienced much higher volumes recently and has temporarily staffed up to manage urgent requests. “Any request for urgent matters, we pull to the front of the line,” a department representative said, adding the office had assigned additional staff to handle overflow.

Contracts and diversity: Members asked about consulting and preservation contracts listed in the department budget, including one vendor named Coval Technologies for digitization and preservation work. The office said some contracts were tied to prior fiscal years and that outreach and advertising contracts were evaluated by response and case intake. Staff provided a summary of minority participation, saying about 46% of contract dollars were to diverse or minority vendors in the most recent reporting period.

Staffing and equipment: Council members also asked about computer replacement and staffing cycles. The department said it cycles 20–25 computers every other year and purchased laptops during the pandemic; the request for $100,000 in equipment is intended to overhaul aging machines.

No formal action was taken at the hearing. Council members asked for follow-up information on contracts, minority participation and grant applications referenced in the budget detail.

Ending: Council members flagged the register’s funding requests for follow-up as the council continues review of the city operating and capital proposals for fiscal 2026. The Committee of the Whole scheduled additional budget deliberations in afternoon sessions and asked the office to provide requested backup documents and timelines for the RFP and archives plan.