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ST. JOSEPH – The Berrien County Board of Commissioners’ final meeting of 2023 featured action on a number of fronts as well as an update from the Berrien County Register of Deeds.

Register of Deeds Lora Freehling gave a presentation on some of the services offered by her office. The Register of Deeds office is located in the Berrien County Administration Center on Main Street in St. Joseph and many services are available online.

She noted that the Register of Deeds office launched the “Cloud Search” option for land record searches a little more than a year ago in November 2022.        “It simplifies the process for searching for land records,” she said.

Freehling told commissioners that a person can also subscribe and use the “Property Alert” option to get notifications any time a document is recorded in her office that is of interest to the person. For example, people can get notifications on everything from discharges of mortgages to easements and notices of commencement by a construction company.

“It may also assist in combatting potential fraud,” she said. “Any of these types of services can prevent fraud from happening. Our office has to record all documents that meet our criteria but it provides an early warning allowing a subscriber to take appropriate action should they believe fraud activity has occurred impacting their property.”

She noted that the free Property Alert service offered by her office provides people with information on a county level similar to what companies like LifeLock does on a national level for a charge. “I highly recommend property owners sign up for it,” she said.

She pointed out that the Property Alert notification system allows people to know right away and notify authorities if a fraudster is trying to steal their identity and put a mortgage or quit claim deed on their property. She noted that her office’s records are public and open to anyone and that the alert service allows them to notify property owners.

She gave directions on how people can get to the Property Alert service. People can go to the Register of Deeds page on the www.berriencounty.org website, then lock on the land records button on the left sidebar and then on the Cloud Search button to start the process to get Property Alerts.

She said people can also type in berrien.mi.publicsearch.us to create an account. Notifications about alerts will come from the VanguardSupport@govos.com email system.

In action approved by the county board Thursday, commissioners amended a number of already approved grants, accepted drug treatment court program funds, applied for grants for parks, the purchase of development rights and medical marijuana education and set the 2024 fee schedule for the Berrien County Health Department.

Commissioners also approved a pay raise for appointed officials and non-union county employees including road department non-union employees. Eligible employees will get a three percent pay raise to all grades and steps on the three respective salary schedules starting Jan. 1 for the 2024 year.

Commissioners accepted a donation from the Niles Scream Park from the most recent season. Four Berrien County Health Department employees volunteered at the Niles Haunted House scream park this fall which resulted in a $350 donation from the organization.

The county board will not meet next week due to it being a fifth Thursday. Their next regular meeting will be Jan. 4 at 10:30 a.m. in the administration building in St. Joseph and on the county’s YouTube channel.