Hon. Patricia Ritchie
St. Lawrence County

I would like to express my appreciation and extend the most heartfelt “thank you” to all of you for the honor of serving as your President. To lead this association of individuals that I respect and admire is a humbling experience. My fellow County Clerks represent the best in public service by making their community and county a better place to live by working tirelessly in the performance and execution of their duties for the people who elected them.

Faced with a challenging economic climate will prove to be a trying year for many New York State residents. County Clerks are leaders in their communities and will no doubt play a major role in helping their counties navigate through tough financial times. Because we are leaders, it is my intention to serve by example, doing my best to schedule conferences and meetings in the most economical and efficient way possible. These crucial association meetings are the foundation of our committees such as legislative, DMV and courts; meetings that are designed to reinforce our goals and strengthen our ability to manage our resources through this tough economy. With this in mind, I charge each chair to meet with their region and brainstorm on ways to streamline our offices by finding new innovative ways to do business, while holding the line financially and maintaining the exceptional customer service the public has come to expect from County Clerks and their staff.

I have created several new committees this year, the first of which will focus on media relations and marketing. It is important that our messages be conveyed to the public on a regular basis, so they are aware that they have a strong ally in this Association and their Clerks, who are working diligently on their behalf.

In recent weeks, we have struggled with electronic signatures on the DD214. It is essential that we have direct communication on Veteran’s issues and have a committee ready to address the issues that face our service men and women. This will be accomplished through the new Veteran’s Committee. Additionally, the APA Committee will focus on the issues surrounding the park such as the potential closure of snowmobile trails.

Finally, the Technology Task Force has been changed to the E-Recording Committee. This committee will be responsible for, first, working together to outline the goals of e-recording and, second, to create a subcommittee of County Clerks, attorneys, financial institutions, vendors, abstractors, PRIA and Land Title that will lead NYS e-recording in to the future.

Once again, thank you for the honor and trust you have bestowed upon me. It is because of the professionalism, knowledge and support of the members of this association that I am able to take on this new challenge.