Medina County recorder seeks $1 reallocation to fund long-term records digitization

County Recorder Linda Hoffmann proposed on June 9 that Medina County reallocate $1 from each existing recording fee — increasing the Recorder Technology Fund set-aside from $4 to $5 per filing — to finance multi-year digitization, indexing and verification of older paper records. Hoffmann told the Board the change would not raise costs to residents and would generate an estimated $25,000 a year for the office.

Hoffmann said the Technology Fund has sufficient cash for near-term projects but that comprehensive digitization will require sustained six-figure investment over multiple years. She noted the Ohio General Assembly’s Senate Bill 94 allows counties to charge a separate $5 document preservation fee; she said she preferred not to impose an additional fee on the public given current economic conditions and instead proposed the internal reallocation.

Commissioners expressed support for the reallocation. Finance Director Brett Thomas said he and the Recorder had discussed the approach and indicated his support. The board agreed to bring a formal resolution forward the following week with a target implementation date of July 1, 2026, to capture a full six months of reallocation in the calendar year if approved. Hoffmann added that the office’s software vendor indicated the internal fee-allocation change could be implemented quickly.

Why it matters: The Recorder’s office manages public land and vital records used in title searches, real-estate transactions and public access requests. A sustained digitization effort is intended to improve retrieval, reduce staff time handling paper records and preserve older records, but will require significant multi-year funding to complete.

Next steps: The commissioners directed staff to place the Recorder’s resolution on the agenda for the next meeting for a formal vote; implementation was targeted for July 1, 2026 if approved.