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McHenry County recorder candidates debate whether position should exist

Is the McHenry County recorder of deeds necessary? It depends on which candidate you ask.

Republican Joe Tirio of Woodstock is running for the position with the intention of abolishing it - a move he says would save taxpayers money by eliminating a $105,000 annual salary plus benefits. The functions of the recorder's office would then merge with the county clerk's office.

His opponent, Democratic candidate Lynn Gray, is defending the future of the position, arguing there are other ways to cut costs and improve services. The recorder's role, she said, is to implement policies, maintain the integrity of the office and ensure it operates efficiently.

"It's my desire to make the office better, more customer service-friendly and (to) save money at the same time," said Gray, of Marengo. "If money is the only motivation, I believe some soul-searching is in order."

The recorder's office is responsible for maintaining and retrieving real estate records, documents and plat maps. The winner in the Nov. 8 election will hold a four-year term and will succeed Phyllis Walters, who is retiring after more than 30 years.

Though neither candidate has government experience, both say their careers in the private sector qualify them for the position. Tirio, 50, owner of Monarch Senior Care in Woodstock, said he has overseen mergers, which may help him in combining two county offices.

Gray, 46, says her career as a title insurance professional allows her to see the "big picture" since title companies are some of the biggest users of the recorder's office.

Both candidates, if elected, also plan to evaluate the recorder's office, streamline processes and consider cutting positions.

Gray said she wants to implement new technologies, electronically record all documents within the office and improve communication with other government agencies, such as township assessor's offices.

"I'm not just looking at saving people money on their tax bills," she said. "I'm also looking at improving the office for the overall user."

To begin the process of merging the recorder's and county clerk's offices, Tirio said he would immediately implement a process for measuring customer satisfaction, performance and work volume.

"I think there are some opportunities there to run a more efficient operation," he said. "(We'd) be putting business processes in place to make sure we stay lean and stay accountable and the quality remains high."

The idea of merging the recorder's and clerk's offices is not unique. Cook County residents will vote on the issue in November, and the Republican recorder candidate in Lake County has also proposed abolishing the position.

Gray said she is concerned the county clerk would not be able to handle the additional responsibilities of the recorder's office. But Tirio said the processes he'll put in place will ensure such duties are well managed and the staff is self-sufficient.

"I feel absolutely confident that when we're done, we'll have a better recorder's office that costs us less," he said.

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