In a recent government meeting, officials discussed the pressing need for staffing and technological upgrades within the county's recording office, emphasizing the legal requirement to be fully operational by the end of 2026. The conversation highlighted the challenges of digitizing historical documents, many dating back to the 1980s, which require extensive manual labor due to their varied formats and binding methods.

County officials revealed plans to hire two additional part-time employees to assist with the workload, which is projected to extend over the next five to six years. However, concerns were raised regarding the feasibility of completing the necessary work with part-time staff, given the volume of documents that need to be scanned and organized.

The discussion also touched on the limitations of new software, which, while beneficial, does not expedite the scanning process itself. Instead, it will require significant manual effort to separate and digitize the original documents. Currently, the office employs one supervisor and two part-time imaging specialists, with plans to maintain a part-time workforce due to budget constraints.

Additionally, the meeting addressed the implementation of the \"Alert Me\" fraud detection software, which will notify individuals of any new recordings associated with their names. This one-time expenditure of $19,000 is seen as a consumer advocacy measure rather than a preventative tool against fraud.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to keep the discussion open until the budget is finalized in December, allowing for further inquiries and adjustments as necessary. The officials acknowledged the importance of securing adequate funding from the technology fund to support ongoing operations and staffing needs.