Chelan County gets recording systems online following system disruption

CHELAN COUNTY — Chelan County’s acting auditor says recording systems are back online on a limited basis after the county faced a system-wide failure caused by a malware incident over Memorial Day Weekend.

“I know many people and businesses depend on our ability to record a variety of legal documents, including marriage licenses, deeds, mortgages, real estate contracts and liens,” said Acting Auditor Brandt Cappell. “I am grateful for the outstanding work of our IT team, which has restored our core system functions.”

Marriage license applications are once again being accepted by the Auditor’s Office. However, the office is encouraging potential applicants to complete the online “pre-application” before coming to the office to help save time during their visit.

While normal recording operations have partially resumed, e-recording is currently operating on a limited basis, said county officials. The acting auditor is asking for patience from title companies, attorneys and the public as staff work through the backlog of both electronic and physical documents.

“Please keep in mind we have multiple weeks of documents to record while still managing day-to-day operations,” said Cappell. “My staff is prioritizing the processing of all submissions while continuing to balance other duties, including vehicle and vessel registrations and title changes.”