Recorder outlines new property‑fraud review process, indexing progress and public‑record services

The LaSalle County Recorder told the Election & GIS Committee on Nov. 18 that her office is expanding services to help property owners detect potential fraud and is completing a multi‑year indexing effort to make records available online back to October 1967.

Recorder Karen said October activity included roughly 1,376 new documents and more than 13,000 documents year‑to‑date. She reported automation‑fund receipts and expenditures for the recorder's office and said staff salaries are paid from the recorder automation fund while the elected official’s salary is paid from the general fund. The office reported $63,354 in GIS receipts for October and that 643 completed searches occurred on the county’s Tapestry website for the month.

Under recent state legislation the recorder may now establish a property‑fraud referral and review process; the recorder said she is working on logistics for that process and expects it to be available to the public early next year. The recorder also described a free property‑fraud‑alert program with more than 2,500 enrolled phone numbers, emails and texts to notify owners of documents recorded under their names.

Committee members discussed solicitation postcards and third‑party services that sell copies of public documents at elevated prices; the recorder emphasized that recorded documents are public records and cautioned residents about paid services that resell public information.