Goals of my Administration

1. Reduce Department Expenses by $500,000 over the first 12 months 

The workload of the Clerk-Recorder has decreased due to the drop in the real estate transactions and downturn in the economy. The staff levels need to be reviewed and staff reductions should be considered.  In light of the reduced volume of transactions and reduced recording income, I believe a smaller management organizational structure should be implemented and I will examine the organization from top to bottom to find savings for the County and taxpayers. I will review the need of each management and administrative position to determine if it is needed and whether an alternative smaller management structure should be implemented.

2.  Improve Systems and Business Processes to Serve the Public 

The Clerk-Recorder Office processes an average of 50,000 real property documents per month and thousands of requests for Marriage Licenses and copies of Marriage, Birth and Death records. In recent years the County has added two satellite offices, Laguna Hills and Fullerton. These offices provide a means for citizens to access the services of the Clerk-Recorder without a trip to the Santa Ana Civic Center. Also, systems have been implemented such as Online Marriage License Application System. I support these initiatives to make services available using technology and optimizing use of small satellite offices for those services that require in-person document delivery and signatures. In the future, I will monitor the use of the satellite office and computer systems to improve service accessibility for the public.

3. Create a monthly “Public Education Workshop” on topics such as Real Estate Fraud and Identity Theft 

The Clerk-Recorder can conduct monthly workshops for the public on what services are provided by the Clerk-Recorder and how the public can access these services. These workshops can be offered at locations throughout Orange County and as webcast online education opportunities. The topics offered through these workshops can also help the public learn about new laws and ways to protect their real property and identity. This effort can be coordinated with the County Assessor, Assessment Appeals, Tax Collector, and Registrar of Voters, so a wide range of educational opportunities is available to help the public learn how to do business with the County. 

4. Implementation of Electronic Recording Delivery System 

The “Electronic Recording Delivery System” has been an ongoing project for the Clerk-Recorder’s office.  State statues in 2006 authorized the expansion of the service to other California County Recorders and specified new technical standards and security requirements. I will provide leadership to complete the system certification and implementation process. I will also work with other California County Recorders to use a Government-to-Government shared service that will help the real estate, mortgage, and title insurance companies throughout California complete recordings using the electronic delivery system to provide secure, timely, and cost-effective service to the public.

5. Improve Archive Operations 

The County Clerk-Recorder’s Office in recent years has established an Archive Records Program, including the purchased a building in the Civic Center to house historical records.  The operation of this facility has not been completed.  I will develop a strategic plan for the County’s Archive Records Program with our primary goal to store historical significant documents and make them available to researchers and the public.  I believe this program can be enhanced with development of corporate sponsors, partnership with local universities and creation of a support organization of trained volunteers.  We will also examine the use of technology to capture digital images of documents for preservation and create a “Public Access Archive” web site for documents of interest that are open to public inspection.  This program needs to develop outside revenue sources and partnerships to minimize the use of County General Funds.

6. Implement a Staff Performance Monitoring Program

Create a Clerk-Recorder’s Department “Performance Monitoring Program” to focus staff and management on Core Values and establish performance standards. This program will establish uniform performance standards for each position and monitor performance of staff on a regular basis. A program to monitor performance will hold people accountable and identify substandard performance or needs to modify our business processes to improve productivity. This will result in increased employee productivity and maximize use of our resources. 

7. Improve Staff Training and Recognition 

Staff training and recognition will be important components of my management plan for the Clerk-Recorder’s Office. I believe a happy staff is a productive staff. Opportunities to develop their skills and compete for promotional opportunities will result in improved staff retention. I will establish in-house training classes, support the Certified Document Examiner program, and use self-improvement DVD and tape training.  Specific training classes will be provided to all employees on customer service and our business processes. I will create a recognition program to acknowledge outstanding performance and achievement of productivity objectives. Improved staff training and creation of a performance recognition program will maintain high employee morale and express appreciation to deserving employees for their dedication and hard work.