Voters confronted with a slate of candidates for the office of Register of Deeds can be excused if they have to think a moment about the purpose of the office. It is one of the more obscure titles among the Tennessee’s constitutional offices, but it is an important one.
The register is responsible for maintaining accurate records of property deeds, titles, mortgages, liens, plats, marriage settlements and a variety of other legal documents essential to the orderly operation of government and society. Still, most citizens have little idea how the office operates or how to judge the merits of candidates who want to be register.
The best measures of a successful register of deeds are the efficiency with which the office is operated and the satisfaction level of those who require its services. By both standards, Pam Hurst, the incumbent Republican candidate for the post, has served well.
First elected in 1994, Ms. Hurst has grown into the job. Her early years as Register were marked by controversy about employee morale, excessive fees and questions about the manner and cost of converting files and documents from paper and microfilm to computer. Ms. Hurst overcame those problems and her office now receives high marks from both professionals who are the main users of the office, and the general public.
Ms. Hurst’s accomplishments are many. There’s been no turnover in staff in eight years. She’s partnered with county data workers to create a system that makes documents accessible at reasonable cost. She’s increased online access to records. And she’s reduced office operating costs by 50 percent and turned over millions of dollars in excess fees to the county during her tenure.
Ms. Hurst pledges to continue to spend wisely and to pursue increased efficiency if re-elected. She suggests the possibility of purchasing a site for a satellite office rather than continuing to pay rent for the current space. That’s a topic that requires discussion, but doing so could save money in the long run. She promises, too, to improve search programs for the office and to make all records – even the most dated ones – available on computer even as the office continues to respond to more than 63,000 calls in a typical year.
Jeff Brown, Ms. Hurst’s Democratic opponent, has a different view. He says that Ms. Hurst could save taxpayers more money. He questions, for example, the need and cost of a county-owned satellite office. He says that expanding online services could cut costs. Mr. Brown’s ideas might save a few dollars, but he offers little proof that they can do so without unacceptable compromises in vital services.
Mr. Brown, a project manager for the architecture and construction industry, says that his organizational and management skills ideally suit him for the work of register. That might be true in the abstract, but managing the office of Register of Deeds calls for very specific skills honed over the years. Ms. Hurst possesses the requisite skills and has become an efficient, effective and fiscally-minded manager. We recommend her re-election.