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State of the Lake County Recorder's Office 2000 Annual Report Recorder's Office Reflects a Sign of the Times The Lake County Recorder's office is a governmental office that can be monitored by the volume of records filed and recorded. Since many of these records pertain to real estate and mortgages, it is easy to draw a correlation between mortgage rates and the volume of activity in this office. Enclosed on the last page of this newly structured and expanded annual report is a historical analysis of average national monthly mortgage rates dating back to 1990. As a result of the mortgage interest rates continuing to increase in 2000, there was a direct correlation to less documents filed in the recorder's office. During 2000, mortgage interest rates were the highest since the summer of 1996. 58,956 documents were filed and or recorded in the Lake County Recorder's office in 2000, which reflected a 17.11 % decrease over the 71,122 documents filed and recorded in 1999. The 58,956 documents filed amd recorded were the lowest volume in the Lake County Recorder's office since 45,048 were filed amd recorded in 1991. 1999 was the 3rd highest document volume year in Lake County during the past decade only exceeded by 1998 (74,866) and 1993 (72,475). All of the more frequent documents filed were down in volume as compared to the prior year with the exception of liens which increased almost 50%. Mortgages and Miscellaneous filings were down 21% as compared to 1999. These two categories generally account for approximately 2/3's of the documents filed and recorded in this office. From a revenue standpoint, the office had its lowest year since 1997. Total Office Fee Revenue of $1,186,397 was down 13% when compared to 1999. Recording fee revenue was down almost 12% and equipment fees were down almost 20% when compared to 1999. Equipment fee revenue was the lowest since 1993. The combined cost of $579,838 to operate the recording portion of this office was basically unchanged from 1999. Salaries accounted for $316,978, contract services $ 101,303, and capital lease payments $ 130,283. These three accounts, representing a combination of funds expended from the Recorder's General Fund and Equipment Fund represent 95% of the expenses incurred in 2000. The 2001 amount budgeted by the Lake County Commissioners to operate this office (excluding the Microfilm Department) was reduced by $37,644 to $542,194. In 2000, the Lake County Recorder's office unveiled their website at "lakecountyrecorder.org" which among information on fees charged and general information also enables the general public and title companies to perform document index searches from the comfort of their office or home 24 hours a day seven days a week. Recordings are updated weekly. This site will be enhanced as we add the various user codes that will make this site more useful to users who will now know what the index abbreviations used truly represent. In 2001, the Lake County Recorder's office will be implementing a $460,000 computer system upgrade which includes a feature that would permit registered users to access actual documents filed from their computers. The system upgrade, costing $14,400 per month, would be paid for out of the equipment fund over the next five years. Lake County would be one of the first counties in Ohio to permit users remote access capability. Documents filed and recorded that have been scanned date back to only 1996. The Lake County Recorder is currently exploring economical alternatives that would enable the scanning of recorded and filed documents onto the system dating back to 1986 to coincide with the document search index. Previous cost estimates to scan such records were in excess of $1,000,000. In addition to overseeing this project, the Lake County Recorder will be implementing an employee handbook including office policies and procedures that previously did not exist. The office will also be publishing informational handouts that will be available to the general public in an effort to educate the public on the services offered by this office. This report does not include revenue and costs associated with the Microfilm Department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Lake County Recorder. That report will be prepared later this month and presented to the Lake County Microfilm Board at a meeting scheduled for March 14, 2001 at 9:30am. Respectfully submitted, Frank A. Suponcic, CPA Lake County Recorder 2000 Annual Report Document Volume Type of Document Recorded 1997 1998 1999 2000 Incr (Decr) Over 1999 Incr (Decr) Over 1999 Deeds 7,924 8,605 8,728 8,079 (649) -7.44% Mortgages 16,794 21,458 18,903 14,849 (4,054) -21.45% Miscellaneous 23,637 31,103 31,303 24,510 (6,793) -21.70% Uniform Commercial Code 7,726 7,641 6,547 5,455 (1.092) -16.68% Liens 2,069 1,412 1,151 1,725 574 49.87% Other 4,620 4,647 4,490 4,338 (152) -3.39% Total Document Volume 62,770 74,866 71,122 58,956 (12,166 -17.11% Revenue Type of Revenue 1997 1998 1999 2000 Incr (Decr) Over 1999 Incr (Decr) Over 1999 Recording fees $916,993 $1,150,284 $1,096,988 $969,269 $(127,719) -11.64% Equipment fees $213,672 $265,900 $252,700 $202,412 $(50,288) -19.90% Microfiche sales $8,465 $19,070 $15,290 $13,611 $(1,679) -10.98% Platter sales $260 Postage $264 $424 $863 $1,105 $242 28.04% Total Revenue Received $1,139,654 $1,435,678 $1,365,841 $1,186,397 $(179,444) -13.14% Fund Distribution of Revenue 1997 1998 1999 2000 General Fund $925,982 $1,169,777 $1,113,140 $983,985 Equipment Fund $213,672 $265,900 $252,700 $202,412 Expenditure Report 100-22 General Fund: 1999 2000 Supplies Appropriation 18,629.28 15,000.00 Expended 18,613.52 14,790.84 Balance 15.76 209.16   Contracts/Services Appropriation 7,000.00 22,000.00 Expended 6,592.53 21,799.78 Balance 407.47 200.22   Recorder-Salary Appropriation 46,014.00 47,395.00 Expended 46,014.00 47,393.32 Balance 0.00 1.68   Employees-Salaries Appropriation 262,700.00 269,600.00 Expended 263,166.18 269,585.03 Balance 533.82 14.97   Subscriptions Appropriation 1,000.00 1,000.00 Expended 982.82 926.88 Balance 17.18 73.12   Postage Appropriation 2,000.00 3,625.00 Expended 1,960.52 2,863.33 Balance 39.48 761.67   Travel Appropriation 4,120.00 557.28 Expended 3,465.07 501.98 Balance 654.93 55.30   Dues Appropriation 2,000.00 2,500.00 Expended 1,950.52 1,895.72 Balance 49.48 604.28   Other Expenses Appropriation 600.00 500.00 Expended 576.45 489.25 Balance 23.55 10.75   Equipment Appropriation 0.00 9,806.25 Expended 0.00 9,806.25 Balance 0.00 0.00   Total Appropriation 345,063.28 371,983.53 Total Expenses 343,321.61 370,052.38 Balance 1,741.67 1,931.15 285-22 Equipment Fund 1999 2000 Contracts/Services Appropriation 118,560.00 86,200.00 Expended 117,239.30 79,502.85 Balance 1,320.70 6,697.15   Capital Lease Payments Appropriation 122,000.00 155,000.00 Expended 119,073.79 130,282.60 Balance 2,926.21 24,717.40   Total Appropriation 240,560.00 241,200.00 Total Expenses 236,313.09 209,785.45 Balance 4,246.91 31,414.55 Grand Totals : General Fund And Equipment Fund 1999 2000 Appropriations 585,623.28 613,183.53 Expended 579,634.70 579,837.83 Balance 5,988.58 33,345.70 30 Year National Monthly Mortgage Average as Provided by HSH Associates, Financial Publishers 15 Year National Monthly Mortgage Average as Provided by HSH Associates, Financial Publishers