MAN, WV The Town of Man is making progress on digitizing decades of meeting minutes and ordinances to improve access to its historical records.
Man Mayor John Fekete told council members Monday that records dating back to 1942 have been scanned and sent to American Legal Publishing for processing. He described the process as slow but said the effort is moving forward.
The town began the project earlier this year to address difficulties in accessing historical documents. With about 1,800 pages of minutes spanning nearly 75 years, finding specific ordinances often required time-consuming searches through physical books.
The council approved a contract in January with American Legal Publishing, a company that provides codification services for local governments. Once the scanned documents are organized, they will be available in a searchable format on the town’s website.
Officials expect the digitization to make historical records easier to find for both town leaders and residents. Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, American Legal Publishing has worked with municipalities across the United States to bring their records into the digital age. It uses advanced software to create searchable document archives, allowing for instant access to a town or city’s most up-to-date codes.
PHOTO | Robert Fields