Jones notes potential changes to recording fees

   Earlier this year, County Recorder Sheri Jones shared with the Jones County Supervisors information about the possibility of increasing recording fees across the state.

   During the Aug. 27 board meeting, Jones provided an update.

   Following the recent ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) conference, Jones said the Iowa County Recorders Association policy committee and executive board voted 70-1 to "revamp our carve-out" when it comes to modernizing fees.

   "We had some pushback from some other recorders," she prefaced. "They didn't quite understand it."

   The revamped version will include add-on fees on top of the federal fees.

   "We're going to make it $10 a page," Jones said. "The first page has carve-outs. Three dollars of that will go to Iowa Land Records, which is owned by the Iowa County Recorders Association."

   That $3 fee will help to cover the records' preservation fee, of which Jones gets $1 to use toward equipment within her office.

   "That's going to change to $2 and hopefully change the verbiage on it so we can use it for training for records preservation," she said. "The remainder will go to the General Fund."

   The $10 per page, she added, stays with the county.

   This is just a recommendation and proposition of the Recorders Association. Jones said more is to come on finalization of the fees.

In other county business:

   • The board abated property taxes on two parcels acquired by the Monticello Community School District.

   • The board abated property taxes on one parcel acquired by the Anamosa Community School District.

   • The board abated property taxes on one parcel acquired by the City of Monticello.

   • The board opened bids for the demolition of a structure on a nuisance property located at 10516 Main St., Center Junction. Eight bids were received, with bids ranging from $7,000 to $38,983.57.

   The bid specifications included removal of the structure; removal of trees, shrubs, and vegetation; and clearing of the lot. The project completion timeline is between Sept. 15 and Nov. 15.

   The board chose to table awarding a bid until Land Use Administrator Whitney Amos had time to review the bids.

   • The board approved the final plat of the Brad Stephen's Fourth Addition, a subdivision in Lovell Township.

   • The board approved the third and final consideration to re-zone 1.90 acres in Castle Grove Township from A1-Agrictulutral to I1-Industrial.