What is the definition of “up and running”
A. Operational but not including back scan documents that you would be doing with this funding until the end of the year
B. Available to online researchers
C. Something else???
Thanks
Maureen
From: Vermont Municipal Government Discussion Network <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Carol Dawes
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 1:14 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Grant Opportunity for Towns: Digitization of Land Records
I hear you Cassandra. Unfortunately the program is between a rock and a hard place. The legislature supported using some of the federal money to help towns get started digitizing and putting their documents online, in response to the restrictions we all found (and continue to find) ourselves under since mid-March. They set $2M aside for this work. At that time it was still unclear what restrictions were placed by the feds on the covid relief money. As the restrictions became clearer, the window to take advantage of the program got smaller and smaller.
It’s a rolling deadline for the application. You can apply anytime. There are three different avenues a town might want to take:
1. Contract with a vendor to start digitizing documents and getting them online. The system must be up and running by November 1st, and the grant would cover expenses incurred through the end of the calendar year.
2. Contract with a vendor to transfer/convert already scanned documents that aren’t available online, and make them available. Again, the grant would cover expenses incurred through the end of the calendar year.
3. Work with your current vendor to work backwards, digitizing and/or indexing older records, and getting them online. Again, the grant would cover expenses incurred through the end of the calendar year.
I know there are clerks who have been talking with vendors about going digital in the wake of the pandemic. Your start-up costs could be covered by the grant, through the end of the calendar year.
For those who are thinking about digitizing, the VMCTA website has a list of towns whose documents are online. You can look at some of the portals and see what they’re all about. https://www.vmcta.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC <https://www.vmcta.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7b4B33047A-D870-4B9C-BC17-239E5088BE04%7d> &SEC={4B33047A-D870-4B9C-BC17-239E5088BE04}
Again, I know the timing is extremely frustrating, but I’m hoping to take advantage of the grant to continue my backscanning and indexing of older documents.
Stay safe. And stay cool this weekend.
Carol
Carolyn S. Dawes CVC CVT
Barre City Clerk/Treasurer
6 N. Main Street, Suite 6
PO Box 418
Barre, VT 05641
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
(802) 476-0242
www.barrecity.org <http://www.barrecity.org>
From: Vermont Municipal Government Discussion Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bennington Town Clerk’s Office
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 12:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Grant Opportunity for Towns: Digitization of Land Records
When is the deadline? It makes me so upset the timing of this. I barely have time to type this email, I can’t imagine having time to apply for a grant before December. ☹
Cassandra Barbeau
Town Clerk
Bennington, VT
mailto:[log in to unmask]
find us on the web at http://benningtonvt.org/departments/town-clerk/
Please note that this email message, along with any response or reply, is considered public record, and thus, subject to disclosure under the Vermont Public Records Law (1 V.S.A. §§ 315-320). Thank You.
From: Vermont Municipal Government Discussion Network <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > On Behalf Of Remick, Jill
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 10:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Grant Opportunity for Towns: Digitization of Land Records
Good morning Vermont State Officials,
The Vermont Legislature passed <https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2020/Docs/BILLS/H-0966/H-0966%20As%20Passed%20by%20Both%20House%20and%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf> Act 137 of 2020 to distribute Coronavirus Relief Funds to various entities in Vermont. Sections 7 - 10 appropriate $13 million to Vermont units of local government to reimburse eligible COVID-19 expenses, and $2 million to assist municipalities in digitizing land records for online public access. The Agency of Administration, including the Vermont Department of Taxes, will be responsible for distributing the funds. Please familiarize yourself with the opportunities and guidelines on our webpage:
<https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus/municipal-grants> https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus/municipal-grants
The first guidance as required under Act 137 is now available <https://tax.vermont.gov/content/coronavirus-municipal-records-digitization-grants-guidelines> , regarding the Digitization of Land Records.
$2 million will be issued to qualifying municipalities to reimburse certain costs associated with making digital copies of land records available online for public access through a secure portal. The grants are being issued to provide economic support to town offices which have been impacted by increased customer demand due to the COVID-19 public health emergency but are otherwise unable to successfully allow those customers to search land records. The funds can be used both to pay necessary expenditures that qualifying municipalities face and costs directly associated to digitizing land records.
The actual application is still under development and should be available soon. However, because of the federally mandated deadlines for CRF eligibility, applicants intending to use a vendor for digitization are strongly encouraged to immediately begin their procurement process.
Visit <https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus/municipal-grants> https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus/municipal-grants for more information, and contact Jill Remick at [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> with any questions.
Jill Remick | Director
Property Valuation and Review Division | Vermont Department of Taxes
(802) 828-6639 | 133 State Street | Montpelier, VT 05633-1401 | tax.vermont.gov
This email may contain confidential tax information. The information is intended only for use by the individual or entity addressee. If you are not the intended recipient, you are prohibited from any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information, and any such action would subject you to civil and/or criminal prosecution under state and Federal confidentiality laws. If you received this email in error, immediately delete this email and contact us at 802-828-6639 or [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> for further instructions.
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