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Westmoreland County Now Offering On-Line Access to Civil Court,
Marriage License, Estate, and Tax Records
Posted 05-19-2004
The Westmoreland County Records Improvement Committee is pleased to announce the
availability of on-line access to public records from the prothonotary, register of wills,
and tax assessment offices. The new feature allows visitors to easily search civil court,
marriage license, estate, and tax records.
The information is available through the
Westmoreland County home page at www.co.westmoreland.pa.us
(keyword: e-services).
"The Records Improvement Committee has
proved to be a tremendous asset for county government. The Internet access project is the
latest in a series of successful programs to make public information available in an
efficient manner," said Prothonotary Ron Diehl, who also serves as chair of the
Records Improvement Committee. "The committee also provides the structure for elected
officials to work as a team to solve and correct problems in records management at all
levels of county government. This success is due mainly to the committee member's
individual commitment to the goals established by the committee."
The new system includes docketed
information on civil cases from the prothonotary's office that is not restricted by law,
as well as the ability to search for data from all types of cases by name, case number, or
date. On-line data from the register of wills office includes estate information and
marriage licenses.
Users can also search for information on
real property by owner's name, map number, or parcel location. The data is current through
the most recent tax year and includes ownership, location, and tax information.
"Our new e-services feature is a great
addition to the county's recently revamped web site," said Board of Commissioners
Chairman Tom Balya. "Having this information available at the click of a mouse is a
benefit to county residents and will help reduce paperwork and the need for some to travel
to the courthouse. The system is another important step in making Westmoreland County's
web site an on-line portal to county information and services."
An expanded subscription service that
features more detailed information about these records, including imaged documents, is
also available for a nominal fee. The fee for the subscription service is $20 per month
and includes a one-year contract that automatically renews each year. The subscription
service allows access to all county public systems, with 40 minutes of access time per
month. Additional minutes are billed at $.50 per minute.
The Electronic Government Solutions
software was designed and developed by Lyles Data System, Inc. of South Carolina, a
company known for its ability to develop inquiry-based solutions and security. The total
cost of development of this project was $58,850, which was paid through the county's
Record Improvement Fund.
The Records Improvement Committee was
established under the authority of Act 8 of 1998, passed by the Pennsylvania General
Assembly. This legislation also provides a source of funding to pay for the committee's
activities. The committee receives $2 for every document filed in the Recorder of Deeds
office.
The County Records Improvement Committee's
mission is to standardize and equalize the capabilities of county offices with regards to
receiving, managing, and providing information to the public as efficiently as possible.
The Records Improvement Committee consists of representatives from the Board of
Commissioners and the offices of the prothonotary, treasurer, sheriff, clerk of courts,
and register of wills. |
