"But County Mayor Ben McAdams said Friday that he would push to
eliminate the recorder position altogether and merge it into the surveyor's
office in an effort to "save tax dollars and streamline services."
Both offices deal with real estate and land issues."
This is a Bad idea. I have for over 30 years regularly used the recorder's office, the surveyor's office or website, and the assessor's office website. It is true that they need to communicate with each other. The Surveyor and Assessor websites function fairly well and are free to use. Because of the cost to use it, the Recorder's website might as well be non existent to anyone that doesn't work for a title company. It however needs to be separate.
The Recorder's office has some really great staff, such as Rich (who knows how to do anything or knows who does), and the front counter staff. The computers that staff uses for most customers work much better than years ago.
If you are looking for an easement from pre-statehood, the 1/2 size record books with the large magnifying glass are a pain to use and see clearly. The Office has them on the computer (which you can see better zoomed in) which didn't work the last time I needed it. It was working for the out of office people. It can take a while to use the microfiche cards, but you don't need to use them as much as you used to. Gary, over the last 15 or so years has made things work much better.
The reason I met Rich several years ago, was I came in to the office and asked Gary how to do something with an existing condo plat. He said Rich would know. Kenneth "Rich" Richmond is a rock-star in that office.
As an architect, I can read property boundary descriptions and easements. I know how important these and deeds are to owners and developers. They need to be right. I have also learned over the years that is better to know who knows something, that promote that you know everything yourself. I know a lot about a few things and a little about a lot of things, but if you meet someone that says they know everything about everything.....RUN!
This is a Bad idea. I have for over 30 years regularly used the recorder's office, the surveyor's office or website, and the assessor's office website. It is true that they need to communicate with each other. The Surveyor and Assessor websites function fairly well and are free to use. Because of the cost to use it, the Recorder's website might as well be non existent to anyone that doesn't work for a title company. It however needs to be separate.
The Recorder's office has some really great staff, such as Rich (who knows how to do anything or knows who does), and the front counter staff. The computers that staff uses for most customers work much better than years ago.
If you are looking for an easement from pre-statehood, the 1/2 size record books with the large magnifying glass are a pain to use and see clearly. The Office has them on the computer (which you can see better zoomed in) which didn't work the last time I needed it. It was working for the out of office people. It can take a while to use the microfiche cards, but you don't need to use them as much as you used to. Gary, over the last 15 or so years has made things work much better.
The reason I met Rich several years ago, was I came in to the office and asked Gary how to do something with an existing condo plat. He said Rich would know. Kenneth "Rich" Richmond is a rock-star in that office.
As an architect, I can read property boundary descriptions and easements. I know how important these and deeds are to owners and developers. They need to be right. I have also learned over the years that is better to know who knows something, that promote that you know everything yourself. I know a lot about a few things and a little about a lot of things, but if you meet someone that says they know everything about everything.....RUN!
