State Recorders Association looks to increase user fees

   During the Feb. 13 Jones County Supervisors meeting, Recorder Sheri Jones shared an update regarding some news from the Iowa County Recorders Association.

   "We're getting ready to initiate a fee modernization project," she said. "The recording fees have not been changed since Fiscal Year 1985. That's when the current fees we have now started."

   The project will entail increasing user fees within the Recorder's Office. Those fees entail recording deeds, mortgages, anything related to real estate that comes through Jones' office, tax liens, power of attorney (POA), etc.

   Right now, the fee is $7. That includes a $5 recording fee, a $1 e-commerce fee, and a $1 records preservation fee for the first page of the document. For every page thereafter, it’s $5.

   "Does that have to be approved at the state level?" asked Supervisor Joe Oswald of the fee increases.

   Jones said yes, and if successful, those fees would likely take effect in 2025.

   "We're starting now, talking to all of our stakeholders," she continued.

   Iowa is one of the lowest states in the country when it comes to recorder fees.

   "We're hoping to see an increase because it'll help the counties," said Jones.

In other county business:

   • The board approved the Certified Local Government (CLG) report for the Jones County Historic Preservation Commission.

   Board president Tim Fay presented the report, which has to be signed annually by the supervisors and sent into the state.

   "This is our work plan of what we're doing and what we hope to do in 2024," noted Fay.

   The Commission also requested $8,000 from the county in FY 2025 funding.

   "This is the same as the last few years," Fay said.

   • The board held a public hearing and approved a re-zoning request from Jason Gideon/ECG Commercial Development to re-zone 2.73 acres on County Road E-34, Anamosa (Fairview Township) from R-Residential District to C2-Highway Commercial District.

   No public comment was received.

   • The board approved an MOU with the MHDS East Central Region for FY 2024 related to employment.

   Jones County Community Services is currently working on hiring a 20-hour a week position.

   The board also approved an MOU with the region for FY 2025 related to a shared mental health advocate position with Buchanan County.

   • The board approved the hiring of Brenda Broulik as an on-call substitute transporter for Senior Dining, effective Feb. 5, at $15.90 an hour.

   • The board approved two ARPA resolutions for GIS and IT.

   The GIS project was for a software conversion with Sidwell in the amount of $34,370.

   The other project is for equipment updates for IT at a cost of $226,340.