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Register of Deeds outlines e-recording growth, backlog and limits of service
Summary
Register of Deeds Rose Johns told commissioners her office fields many requests beyond its statutory duties, described current e-recording workflows using Simplify, and warned it would take years to back-index older paper books without new resources.
Rose Johns, the county’s Register of Deeds, gave a detailed report on the office’s workload, the limits of its statutory duties and the county’s move toward more e-recording and digital indexing.
“We are recorders of documents. That’s what our main job is,” Johns said, describing the range of public questions her office receives — from property lines and tax-sale dates to probate and cemetery inquiries — and explaining why some requests must be referred to other offices or to attorneys.
Johns described the county’s electronic-records workflow using a system staff called Simplify. She said e-recording speeds up many transactions (what once took weeks can take minutes) but that the county still maintains scanned ledger books that would take staff years to fully back-index. Johns said her office offered limited free searches (about 30 years in the county’s CIC system) and directed more complicated title or easement searches to survey or title professionals.
Johns told commissioners she would explore a demonstration of digital-records software used by neighboring counties and return a proposal with costs and benefits. She said staff also planned outreach and training so employees could better help residents who call with questions that fall outside the Register of Deeds’ legal authority.
Johns’ presentation did not require a vote; commissioners thanked her for the report and suggested staff follow up with a formal proposal if a new software purchase is recommended.
