What? - You want me to be the Salt Lake County Recorder?
Last week, a friend of mine texted me and called me and wanted to know if I was willing to be the Salt Lake County Recorder. He said he was planning on nominating me from the floor of the special central committee meeting. You can guess my reaction.
But Victor,
I have already told Mel Nimer he would do a great job as the Recorder. He has likely sent out a list of endorsements including me.
I already have my yard signs for Utah House Representatives, and even though I didn't win last year,, I was planning on running next year.
I have already told people I am running for that office next year. If I ran for Recorder, and somehow won, I would likely run for Recorder in 2018 and I don't have any signs.
I am a self employed architect and have projects I am working on.
If you know Victor, that wasn't enough. He pointed out reasons I should run. I asked for some time to think about it.
I called Mel Nimer. If I agreed to be nominated, I did not want Mel to feel like I let him down. He was OK either way.
(This is where I say I never did endorse Julie Dole to run for Salt Lake County Recorder)
I made other calls. Very early this morning, I noticed a text from Victor on my work phone. He said the Media was already reporting that I was running, so perhaps his nomination was not required.
Really? I found out who told the press. They thought my candidacy was a done deal. So it is.
Here I am a candidate for County Recorder for tonight. I still have almost 11 hours to get ready. First thing was to go to my political website I hadn't done much with since last year and take down last years endorsements. :)
Why would anyone vote for me? There are already great people running.
First, I want the committee tonight to pick the very best person to be recorder. If you vote for me, I will serve. I can do it. I can hit the ground running. If you don't pick me. No bad feelings. Neither of us knew I was running. I can still run next year for Utah House.
Second, as an architect, I can read property boundary descriptions and easements. I know how important these and deeds are to owners and developers. They need to be right. I have also learned over the years that is better to know who knows something, than promote that you know everything yourself. I know a lot about a few things and a little about a lot of things, but if you meet someone that says they know everything about everything.....RUN AWAY! :)
For over 30 years I have walked into the Recorders Office to get copies of Subdivisions, Plats, Deeds, Easements, etc.
Last week, a friend of mine texted me and called me and wanted to know if I was willing to be the Salt Lake County Recorder. He said he was planning on nominating me from the floor of the special central committee meeting. You can guess my reaction.
But Victor,
I have already told Mel Nimer he would do a great job as the Recorder. He has likely sent out a list of endorsements including me.
I already have my yard signs for Utah House Representatives, and even though I didn't win last year,, I was planning on running next year.
I have already told people I am running for that office next year. If I ran for Recorder, and somehow won, I would likely run for Recorder in 2018 and I don't have any signs.
I am a self employed architect and have projects I am working on.
If you know Victor, that wasn't enough. He pointed out reasons I should run. I asked for some time to think about it.
I called Mel Nimer. If I agreed to be nominated, I did not want Mel to feel like I let him down. He was OK either way.
(This is where I say I never did endorse Julie Dole to run for Salt Lake County Recorder)
I made other calls. Very early this morning, I noticed a text from Victor on my work phone. He said the Media was already reporting that I was running, so perhaps his nomination was not required.
Really? I found out who told the press. They thought my candidacy was a done deal. So it is.
Here I am a candidate for County Recorder for tonight. I still have almost 11 hours to get ready. First thing was to go to my political website I hadn't done much with since last year and take down last years endorsements. :)
Why would anyone vote for me? There are already great people running.
First, I want the committee tonight to pick the very best person to be recorder. If you vote for me, I will serve. I can do it. I can hit the ground running. If you don't pick me. No bad feelings. Neither of us knew I was running. I can still run next year for Utah House.
Second, as an architect, I can read property boundary descriptions and easements. I know how important these and deeds are to owners and developers. They need to be right. I have also learned over the years that is better to know who knows something, than promote that you know everything yourself. I know a lot about a few things and a little about a lot of things, but if you meet someone that says they know everything about everything.....RUN AWAY! :)
For over 30 years I have walked into the Recorders Office to get copies of Subdivisions, Plats, Deeds, Easements, etc.
I have seen things change, and in most cases for the better.
I have regularly used the recorder's office, the surveyor's office or website, and the assessor's office website. It is true that they need to communicate with each other. The Surveyor and Assessor websites function fairly well and are free to use. Because of the cost to use it, the Recorder's website might as well be non existent to anyone that doesn't work for a title company. It however needs to be separate. I do not agree with proposals to combine the office.
The Recorder's office has some really great staff, such as Rich (who knows how to do anything or knows who does), and the front counter staff. The computers that staff uses for most customers work much better than years ago.
If you are looking for an easement from pre-statehood, the 1/2 size record books with the large magnifying glass are a pain to use and see clearly. The Office has them on the computer, which you can see better zoomed in, which didn't work the last time I needed it. It was working for the out of office people. It can take a while to use the microfiche cards, but you don't need to use them as much as you used to. Gary Ott, over the last 15 or so years, has made things work much better.
Third, the recorder's office helps protect the property rights for over a million people and businesses covering Salt Lake County. It needs someone that knows something about property rights and gives the office the respect it deserves.
What would I do if selected to be the County Recorder?
I have regularly used the recorder's office, the surveyor's office or website, and the assessor's office website. It is true that they need to communicate with each other. The Surveyor and Assessor websites function fairly well and are free to use. Because of the cost to use it, the Recorder's website might as well be non existent to anyone that doesn't work for a title company. It however needs to be separate. I do not agree with proposals to combine the office.
The Recorder's office has some really great staff, such as Rich (who knows how to do anything or knows who does), and the front counter staff. The computers that staff uses for most customers work much better than years ago.
If you are looking for an easement from pre-statehood, the 1/2 size record books with the large magnifying glass are a pain to use and see clearly. The Office has them on the computer, which you can see better zoomed in, which didn't work the last time I needed it. It was working for the out of office people. It can take a while to use the microfiche cards, but you don't need to use them as much as you used to. Gary Ott, over the last 15 or so years, has made things work much better.
Third, the recorder's office helps protect the property rights for over a million people and businesses covering Salt Lake County. It needs someone that knows something about property rights and gives the office the respect it deserves.
What would I do if selected to be the County Recorder?
Make sure the information coming from the new computer software the Recorder's Office developed in-house, communicates with the old mainframe computer the county is still using for other offices. Since the office created the software, we don't need some outside team coming in to provide a translating interface, it just needs to be done, and should have been done prior to the switch.
Change the atmosphere for the employees. One former employee told me how she loved working for Katie Dixon because she knew she cared about her personally and her family.
I have read though the audits from the county and the state and several items still need to be followed up on.
I can make sure my current clients are OK and projects happen. In the past, I have served 4 different years in the Utah Legislature. I know how to make that work.
I have read though the chapter in state law that says what the County Recorder's office must do. We need more focus on that and making sure things are done right, and still quickly enough not to stop projects or slow down someone buying a new home.
We need a Recorder that can go to the legislature and help them understand how proposed changes in the law effect this office and the property rights of our county. As a former legislator, I can do that.
We also need leadership and not management in the office. How cool would it be to walk in the Recorder's office needing help finding a document, and have the Recorder realize the line is too long and come offer to help you find what you are looking for.
Again, pick the best candidate. If you vote for me, I will work to protect the property rights of this county, protect the records it stores, and makes sure the public can get access to them. I will also make sure the office remembers to help the average person, and not just the title companies.
Fred C Cox
