Ozaukee County’s Register of Deeds office performs four important functions for the public as well as internal County operations; Register of Deeds, Property Description, Land Information Systems and Internet Development. Below is a brief description of each function of the Register of Deeds office and what transpired in 2010.

Register of Deeds

In 2010 this office upgraded its document management system from Laredo to AVID, both a Fidlar designed product. This created enhancements to managing the documents to the point that this office staff is now four instead of five employees. Total revenue for this office was $1,996,974 which is a decrease of 20.6% over last year. Of this amount of monies, the Land Information office received $137,051, the state $848,773. This office once again created surplus monies for Ozaukee County to a tune of $214,232.  We recorded 20,464 real estate documents last year, surprisingly up 13%.  We are in the process to capture all documents from 1935 into the digital environment. This is due to the raise in recording fees that took place on the 26th of July of this year to a flat fee rate of $30 per document. This project is scheduled to be completed by 2015 and includes the redaction of Social Security numbers from the documents.

Property Description

In 2010 this office went through a conversion of the ‘Land Records System’. This will replace the county’s mainframe designed system that was originally developed in 1974. The Property Description office maintains over 38,828 (as of 2/1/2010) real properties, including owner name and address, and references to how they acquired the property. This is the fundamental backbone of the assessment role. In addition, the associated mapping of tax parcels is performed. Every deed that is recorded causes a change to the assessment roll.

Land Information

For 2010 we updated the addressing system to assist the 911 system. We continue to tighten up the parcel mapping layers and also enhance the Internet mapping system available to the public. This office creates, compiles, maintains and distributes land information, which includes more than maps, but information associated with land in Ozaukee County. This office works with all county municipalities, State and Federal government, as well as the regional planning commission. The office is totally self-funded, by statute, through revenue generated specifically for this function collected through the Register of Deeds Office. No property levy is applied.

Internet Development

This function of the office not only develops and maintains the Ozaukee County website, but also develops and maintains websites for the following:

1. Bird City Wisconsin New

2. Building Inspectors Association of South East Wisconsin

3. City of Port Washington

4. Milwaukee Audubon Society

5. Ozaukee Chorus Redesigned

6. Ozaukee County 4-H

7. Ozaukee County Historical Society Redesigned

8. Ozaukee Interurban Trail

9. Ozaukee Tourism

10. Ozaukee/Washington Collective Bargaining Agreements

11. Town of Belgium

12. Town of Fredonia

13. Town of Port Washington

14. Ulao Creek Partnership

15. Village of Belgium Redesigned

16. Village of Fredonia

17. Village of Newburg Redesigned

18. Village of Saukville

19. Wisconsin County Treasurers' Association

20. Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association

Sincerely

Ronald A. Voigt 

• Register of Deeds

• Land Information Administrator

• Property Description & Mapping

• Webmaster

Link to 2009 Annual Report

Link to Register of Deeds

Back to 2010 Annual Report Index