April 18, 2006                                                 Contact:          Ellen Quinn

                                                                                                Public Information Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                (218) 726-2621

NEWS RELEASE

Commissioner Dennis Fink Elected Vice Chair of Statewide Prestigious Task Force

     The St. Louis County Board is pleased to announce that First District St. Louis County Commissioner Dennis Fink has been elected Vice Chair of the Electronic Real Estate Recording Task Force.

     The 17 member Task Force, appointed by the Governor, consists of county government officials from across the state; members of the private sector, including real estate agents and attorneys, mortgage companies, and electronic records management industry experts; and others.  The Task Force members’ terms end in 2008.

     The Electronic Real Estate Recording Task Force makes recommendations regarding implementation of systems for electronic filing and recording of real estate documents.  The Task Force not only works to establish standards for the electronic recording of real estate deed  and mortgage documents, they may establish pilot projects to test their recommendations.

     Fink credits St. Louis County Recorder, Mark Monacelli for his appointment to the Task Force.  “Mark is one of the nation’s top Recorders.  He is a leader, innovator and inspirational voice for integrated national electronic real estate recording standards.  I am sure my appointment was stimulated by the fact that Mark is so highly regarded.”

     Commissioner Dennis Fink serves St. Louis County’s First district, comprising downtown, Duluth Heights, Central and East Hillside, and Park Point.  Currently the Board’s Central Management and Intergovernmental Chair, he is past County Board Chair and President of the Association of Minnesota Counties.   

###