To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Clerk-Recorder-Assessor
Staff Name and Phone Number: Deva Marie Proto, 707-565-3246
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Contract with Kofile Preservation, Inc. for Record Preservation Services
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the County Clerk-Recorder to execute an agreement with Kofile Preservation, Inc. for record preservation services for the period of January 13, 2026, to January 13, 2027, in the amount of $427,924.40, and delegate authority to the County Clerk-Recorder to amend the agreement in a form approved by County Counsel for minor changes not to exceed $50,000.
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Executive Summary:
The Recorder maintains records relating to land and real property transactions for Sonoma County. A key function of the Recorder’s Office is to preserve and maintain historical records for the benefit of the public. Some of the historical records maintained in the Recorder’s Office include what are known as the “breadboard” maps and books. These maps were used by the County Assessor’s Office from 1895 to approximately 1925 and are important resources for researchers.
The maps and books are aging and deteriorating and need to be treated and preserved to ensure that they remain accessible for future generations. While the maps have been scanned in the past, there are no other copies (digital or otherwise) of the books. This proposed services agreement with Kofile will provide for the preservation and high-quality imaging of both the maps and books and includes custom shelving units.
Discussion:
The Recorder maintains records relating to land and real property transactions for Sonoma County. A key function of the Recorder’s Office is to preserve and maintain historical records for the benefit of the public. Some of the historical records maintained in the Recorder’s Office include what are known as the “breadboard” maps and books. There are 120 maps and 140 volumes, split up over 227 individual books. These maps were used by the County Assessor’s Office from 1895 to approximately 1925 and were assessment maps and associated documentation on ownership. Many of the maps contain property owners’ names and acreages on them, and the associated books were used to track ownership changes over the years.
When the Assessor (which at the time was a separate office from the Recorder), was going to cease the use of these specific maps in the 1920s, the maps were gifted to the Recorder for preservation. The maps and books have stayed in the Recorder’s Office since that time as an important resource for members of the public. Many researchers use the records during title searching, and to determine historical ownership of various properties.
While the maps themselves were scanned many years ago, the books have never been imaged and are the only records currently in existence with this information. Both the maps and books have deteriorated over the years, as people have handled them, and will continue to deteriorate unless they are treated and preserved for use in future years. These records remain an important part of Sonoma County’s history, and it is important that they be preserved for future generations.
The maps and books are currently stored in old wood cabinets, specifically built for these records. The maps are pinned to breadboard drawers that can be removed from the cabinet for viewing. However, many of the drawers have started to splinter with age, the cabinet is not an efficient use of storage and does not have any preservation benefit for either the maps or books.
The proposed services agreement with Kofile will provide for preservation of the maps and books, which will minimize the chemical and physical deterioration over time. The map preservation process involves cleaning the surface of each page, removing old repairs and acidic adhesives, repairing tears and restoring the condition of the paper, deacidification, and encapsulation in Lay Flat Archival Polyester Pockets and placed in hangers. Before encapsulation, the maps will be scanned in color with current imaging technology.
The book preservation process involves carefully dismantling the books, cleaning the surface of each page, removing old repairs and acidic adhesives, repairing tears and restoring the condition of the paper, deacidification, and encapsulation in Lay Flat Archival Polyester Pockets. In the final step of the preservation process the pages will be re-bound in custom archival quality binders.
As part of the agreement, custom shelving units for both the maps and books would be provided and installed.
Based on restoration and preservation services needed to protect these historical records, the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor requests that the Board authorize the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor to execute an agreement with Kofile Preservation, Inc. for record preservation services for the period of January 13, 2026 to December 31, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $427,924.40 and delegate authority to the County Clerk-Recorder to amend the agreement in a form to approve by County Counsel for minor changes not to exceed $50,000.
The funding for the project will be through the Recorder’s Modernization Fund, which can only be used for modernization projects in the Recorder’s Office.
The Department will be utilizing a sole source waiver of competitive procurement for contracting with Kofile Preservation, Inc. The sole source waiver is due to Kofile's unique archival products and their exclusive U.S. Patents and years of research, testing, development and expertise that make them the only vendor to provide this level of technology in DRS and Flat Layer Archival Pockets. Sole source approval from the Purchasing Agent is attached.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$427,924.40 |
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Total Expenditures |
$427,924.40 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
$427,924.40 |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$427,924.40 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Appropriations for the project were not included in the adopted budget and will be paid for by the Modernization Fund, which had a balance of $7.8 million as of 11/30/2025. Appropriations will be added through the consolidated budget adjustments in the second quarter.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Kofile Contract
Attachment 2: Kofile Single or Sole Source Waiver
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A