W
exford County Takes Step Forward in Overcoming Real Estate Challenges

    In a significant move, the Wexford County Board of Commissioners has agreed to partner with Tyler Technologies to develop a new web-based program for the Register of Deeds Office. This decision comes after months of downtime due to a ransomware attack that crippled the office's operations.

    The county's Administrator, Joe Porterfield, emphasized the urgency of resolving this issue, stating, "Time is of the essence for our residents." The Register of Deeds Office has been offline since November 5, causing disruptions in real estate transactions. To mitigate these effects, a second contract was approved to rebuild corrupted data from 2016 onwards.

    The county will invest over $270,000 in the two contracts, which will be funded through its contingency fund and appropriated balance. While this progress is encouraging, residents and businesses affected by the shutdown must still wait for the office's reopening.

    A realtor who wished to remain anonymous expressed relief at the prospect of a two-month timeline for resolving the issue, saying, "Honestly, I was mentally preparing for a 12-month timeframe. So honestly, a two-month timeframe makes me feel a little bit better." This development offers hope that the county can restore its Register of Deeds Office and resume normal operations soon.