Bartholomew County soon will put all of the marriage licenses it issues into digital firm, including newly issued ones and others dating back to the 1800s.
Bartholomew County commissioners on Monday approved a contract with Information & Records Associates for $16,827.25. The South Bend-based firm will digitize 95 books of marriage licenses in an effort to save staff time, said Bartholomew County Clerk Jay Phelps.
The costs associated with the contract won’t be picked up by taxpayers but will be covered by the clerk’s record-perpetuation fund, which comes from court fees. Phelps said his office currently sees 30 to 40 people daily requesting marriage licenses, adding that the transition from paper to digital form will be helpful.
“This will save 5 to 10 minutes per person,” Phelps said. “It brings the office in the 21st century.”
Phelps said he would like to get the process of getting the 95 hardback-bound books into digital form underway within the next two weeks. Afterward, he plans to donate the hardback-bound books to the Bartholomew County Public Library.
Commissioners on Monday also approved a $3,3350 contract with St. Louis-based KNOWiNK for two poll pads. The price includes a three-year software and license agreement and an integration into the state’s electronic elections system.
The county has 34 polling pads that are used during elections, two of which were leased in 2016, Phelps said. The poll pads are used to check in voters and for other election-related purposes.
The addition of the two poll pads will allow two to be placed at every voting location in Bartholomew County, Phelps said.
