Posted: 7/27/05
Fees for real estate documents take big jump
County will hire new deputy
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Real estate document fees increased by 236 percent on July 1.
County recorder Bev Bauer explained the new fees, which were established by state lawmakers, to commissioners at their July 19 meeting.
The new fee for all real estate documents is $46.50, up $26.50 from the old fee of $19.50 per document.
Eleven dollars of the $46 will go into a newly established Recorder's Process Compliance Fund. The rest goes to the county.
The legislature established the Recorder's Process Compliance Fund as an unallocated fund for offices dealing with land records. Other county departments such as planning and zoning, highway, assessor and auditor-treasurer can also tap into the fund.
ìThat fund is going to build very fast,î Bauer said.
Another change with the new law is that there is a 15 working day turnaround for all documents.
Here are some other new fees:
ï Plats went from $34.50 to $56;
ï Marriage licenses went from $85 to $100;
ï Reduced licenses went from $20 to $30;
ï Birth certificates went from $13 to $16;
ï Passports went from $85 to $97.
ï Split fees (for when a parcel of land is split) were eliminated. They had been $100. Handling and insertion fees totaling $70 were also eliminated.
Will hire new deputy
In other county board business, chief deputy Ken Frank and personnel director Tim Comstock told the board that Sheriff Mike Lee had consented to hire a new deputy.
Lee had previously withdrawn his request for a new deputy, and said he would not swear one in even if the county hired someone. That decision drew the ire of commissioners on July 12.
Frank said last week that he and Captain Gary Eddy asked Lee to reconsider and he did.
Comstock suggested that Lee not be part of the hiring process, and instead use an interviewing committee of Frank and Eddy. Lee is OK with that, Frank said. Ann Thompson and Tom Bjerke will be on the committee from the county board.
Personnel items
In other personnel business, the board approved a new five-year contract with Tri-State Business Machines for $1,300 per month to provide copy machines and maintenance on them for the courthouse. This is based on a total of 65,000 copies per month. If that is exceeded, the cost is two cents per copy.
Tri-State has been doing this for the county for 10 years, and it is working very well, Comstock said. There are improvements with the new contract, including some copiers that are networked and faster. It will also cost about $119 less per month than the previous agreement.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran said it is a big improvement over the old system in which each departments had its own copy machine providers and service contracts.
The board also approved the purchase of new notebook computers for county commissioners at the rate of $999. They are powerful IBM computers, and the price is very competitive, Comstock said. The old computers were purchaed in February of 2003. They will either be used by other county workers or sold at the county auction on Tuesday, August 16 at 4:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds, Comstock said.
Comstock also recommended putting highway accountant Sheila Schroeder to half-time for eight weeks this summer, as Schroeder requested. The board approved this, along with adding Justin Poston of Caledonia to payroll as dropsite supervisor.
Architectural firm approved
Commissioners approved a preliminary agreement for architectural services for phase one of the new criminal justice center. The agreement is between jail consultant David Prachar of Duluth and Klein McCarthy and Company of Minneapolis. No fee was listed in the contract. Project manager Mark Schiltz said the county can sign the a final agreement once prices are set.
Phase one will include conceptual drawings, site evaluations, and a budget. The building will contain a sheriffís office and 40-cell jail that is expandable through double-bunking to 76 beds. It will house male, females, adults, and juveniles. The building will also contain court administration, county attorney, victim services, probation, courtrooms and judgesí chambers.
Child seat safety
Health educator Heather Myhre told the board about a grant she had applied for with Fillmore County through the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety. Money will be used to educate parents about child car seats. The two counties each received a $5,000 last year. With that money, the county bought 10 new car seats, checked 52 others, and educated 566 families, Myhre said. ìEvery seat is a little bit different. Itís a learning curve for us too,î she said.
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