State Recorder Closing Six Offices – Kodiak Included

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

The recorder’s office in Kodiak, which certifies property purchases, will likely be one of those closed across the state due to budget cuts. There are 34 recording districts across Alaska and they are served by 11 offices, which will be cut down to five.

Elizabeth Bluemink is the Communications Coordinator for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and says that, department-wide, DNR faces the net loss of 81 positions and 6 of them are in their recorders’ offices. She adds that most of these offices are single staffed. The other six to be cut besides Kodiak are Ketchikan, Valdez, Sitka, Homer, and Bethel.

She says the current employee at Kodiak has the option to move to Anchorage, and that there are other choices for people who need the services of a recorder’s office. There will still be the five locations left open.

“We will be down to Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, Palmer, and Kenai. And these offices already serve recording districts throughout the state, so basically they will be covering areas that will no longer have their own office.”

Patrons can record by mail or internet. Bluemink says DNR gradually made “Simplifile” e-recording available over the last few years. 

She says the new budget for the coming fiscal year begins on July 1st and DNR is preparing to make the transition now.