Subcommittee adds $24,000 for Register of Deeds hire, approves revenues and capital estimates

The Revenues and Capital Expenditures Subcommittee voted to add $24,000 to the Register of Deeds projected revenue and then approved the full revenue and capital expenditures estimates after a roll-call vote.

The amendment to add $24,000 was presented to reflect expected document fee income that staff said will offset the additional cost of bringing a replacement Register of Deeds employee on a few months early. A staff presenter said the early hire will allow transfer of institutional knowledge and that a small additional software cost “is something that they then turn around they charge for,” which the presenter said will largely be recovered through document fees.

The chair put the amendment to a roll-call vote; members voted in favor and the amendment was adopted. Later, after additional discussion of line items, a motion to approve the estimates (with that adjustment) was moved, seconded and approved. The final roll call recorded affirmative votes from Representatives Miles England, Schmidt, Gilmore, Johnson and Chair Tom Southworth; Representative Turkot recorded a no vote. The motion passed.

Committee members used the review to ask for clarifications on several revenue and expenditure assumptions. Staff described the budget’s new fifth column that highlights year-over-year changes and pointed members to written notes in the packet that annotate major variances.

The meeting ended with the chair calling for adjournment, which passed without further objection.

Next steps: staff said they will circulate the requested follow-up materials to the full committee and update the fiscal files to reflect the approved amendment and the adopted revenue and capital estimates.