GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE: Storey County Recorder

SARAH S. JENSEN

Party: Independent

Mailing Address: Post Office Box 438, Virginia City, NV 89440

Telephone: 775-847-0399

E-mail: sjensen4recorder@yahoo.com

Explain your background and how this qualifies you for the position you are

seeking.

I have been a Storey County resident for over 35 years. I graduated from

Virginia City High School, raised my children here, and plan on retiring

here. I currently have over 18 years work experience in the public sector

with 16 of those years with Storey County, two with the Sheriff's Dept., 10

with the Clerk/Treasurer's Office, and four now as the recorder. I also

have over 18 years work experience in the private sector ranging from

retail, mining, manufacturing and construction; mainly working with finance.

In 2009 I received my Certified Public Official certificate through UNR

Extended Studies program and the Nevada Association of County Officials.

This certificate requires course completions in public finance, Nevada law,

community development, management and employee relations. I am an active

member of the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials

and Clerks, Property Records Industry Association, Association of Records

Management and Administrators, Nevada Association of County Officials,

County Fiscal Officers Association, and Nevada Recorder's Association. My

experience and training provides me with the skills to stay in touch with

record management technology at the national level as well as the local

level to maintain accessibility of public documents for the general public.

What are the most important issues that you would address if elected?

I was elected and began my term January 1, 2007. This was a challenging

time for not just Storey County, but for the nation as we experienced the

effects of recession and decline of the over-inflated real estate market.

Up to this time, Storey County had created their website, but the Recorder's

Office was not up and running. After much review and adjustments, the

maiden launch came in September 2007. Over the course of the next three

years, the Recorder's website has been modified for user's ease as

suggestions are provided. These modifications will continue as improved

technology becomes available. The slowdown of the real estate market also

affected title companies. With the layoff of personnel, timely recordings of

land deeds were affected. In January of 2008, I begin researching the

prospect of electronic recording and by April had the equipment in place.

Today, electronic recordings constitute over 60 percent of our total

document count. Reduction of budgets is a huge issue now and this does

restrict equipment upgrades and staff levels. To be able to do more with

less requires full participation of everyone within the department,

including the department head.

Why should voters choose you over other candidate?

With my knowledge, experience, and training I have educated my staff to the

importance of customer service and providing the information sought by

anyone contacting the Recorder's Office. Whether the homeowner is facing

foreclosure or seeking chain of ownership, knowledge of assistant programs

at the federal, state and local levels is a must. Nevada is facing

significant revenue reductions and when the Legislature meets in 2011, local

governments need to be prepared to substantiate and protect their own

revenue resources in order to maintain their existing services and to take

on more responsibility for constituents. My leadership skills have

demonstrated that I can and will continue to be a strong advocate for

transparency and protection of the public's right to knowledge. My finance

skills have shown my ability to continue to advance the services in my

department without burdening the taxpayers. My organizational skills have

allowed me to prioritize programs without compromising customer service.

With this in mind, I appreciate your support come Nov. 2 and look forward to

serving you for the next 4 years.

__________________

JEN CHAPMAN

Party: Republican

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 504, Virginia City, NV 89440

Telephone: (775) 847-9214

E-mail: jenniferchapman2010@gmail.com

Explain your background and how this qualifies you for the position you are

seeking.

A recorder's office maintains and protects public documents such as deeds,

mortgages, liens, birth records, death records and more. In order to

provide the public access to these documents, indexes of the information are

created and maintained. Currently, more and more of these documents are

being stored electronically, which then creates a need for the Recorder's

Office to have people with specific skills in information management.

With a master's degree in information science and an advanced certificate in

digital content management, I have the current knowledge and qualifications

that this position needs. I have working and up-to-date training in

information management, digital imaging, information architecture and more.

In addition, I have a friendly and outgoing demeanor, which, together with

my education, would ensure a well-run and organized office.

What are the most important issues that you would address if elected?

If there were any issues at all, no matter how small, I would address them.

I will strive to ensure that all information contained within the Recorder's

Office is well organized, accessible and preserved. In addition, I will

provide an open, helpful and friendly atmosphere within the office, and

would encourage feedback from any person visiting the office. Professional

and competent record management is of the utmost importance, however, public

service is also important and will be of the highest level.

Why should voters choose you over other candidate?

If elected, my primary mission will be to serve residents in a most

respectable, professional and courteous manner and to ensure that any

experience with the Recorder's Office will be both pleasant and productive.

I will use my education, my great management skills, and my friendly and

outgoing personality to serve patrons of the Recorder's Office in the best

way possible, striving to ensure that all information is properly

maintained, protected, and easily accessible.