Land Information OfficerIn 1989 Wisconsin Acts 31 and 339 established the Wisconsin Land Information Program , authorized County Land Information Plans, and established local and state funding for land records modernization. On June 18th 1990 Trempealeau County by resolution established a Land Information Office. By resolution on April 17th 1992 the County Board established a Land Records Modernization Committee. The first Modernization plan was adopted by resolution on April 19th 1993. On March 21st 1994 by resolution is was adopted that the first Land Information Coordinator be hired. On April 15th 1997 by resolution the Land Records Modernization Coordinator was established as a full time position. On February 19th 2001 by resolution the County Board named the Land Records Modernization Coordinator position as the Land Information Officer (LIO).
The Land Records Department is now the designated Land Information Office and the Land Records Coordinator is now the designated LIO. As well as duties of the Land Records Coordinator the primary responsibilities of the LIO according to WI Stat are to:
Coordinate Land Information projects
Prepare and maintain a plan for Land Records Modernization
Review and recommend projects (grants) for local governments
A key study by the Wisconsin Department of Administration in 1976 known as the "Larsen Report" identified land records data collection and management as a multi-million dollar activity that begins at the local government level. In an effort to improve the condition and access to this information, and to reduce duplicative efforts, the state established the Wisconsin Land Information Program in 1989.
Today's efforts to modernize Wisconsin land information, improve its quality, and make it broadly accessible are coordinated and facilitated through county Land Information Offices based on the WLIP which is run by the DOA - Intergovernmental Relations . As part of the Wisconsin Land Information Program, each county has a designated Land Information Office, Land Information Officer, and a Land Information Plan that guides local activities. While each county office may be organized somewhat differently from county to county, all LIOs can be counted on to serve as point of beginning to help find the appropriate county land-related office or service.