Utah County recorder reports surge in recorded documents and fees, warns staffing and dashboard limits strain operations

The Utah County recorder’s office told county commissioners during a budget presentation that a recent jump in recorded documents and a mid‑2019 flat fee increase have raised fee revenue but also strained staff capacity.

Jeff Smith, the county recorder, said the office usually spends just over $3 million annually but has collected a little more than $6 million in fees year‑to‑date and expects to reach roughly $7.5 million by the end of 2020. "We finally got that increase in the middle of last year to $40 from 10," Smith said, referring to the flat recording fee that he said has simplified billing and boosted revenue.

The presentation focused as much on operations as on dollars. Smith told commissioners the office employs 31 people across recording, mapping and customer support and set performance goals that include making…