Clerk-Recorder bids farewell to Board of Supervisors, recommends department separation, new spaces going forward
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 12:55pm
Clerk-Recorder Aubrey Rowlatt provided the Carson City Board of Supervisors with an update on her department Thursday, which covers elections, records, and public administration duties.
It was also Rowlatt’s final meeting as Clerk-Recorder as she chose not to bid for reelection this year.
“It has truly been an honor to serve as your Clerk-Recorder,” Rowlatt said. “I have met some of the most passionate people who have taught me everything from balancing a department budget to presenting in public. I’ve learned a lot.”
Rowlatt said that the most important aspect of the Clerk-Recorder’s office was its staff members.
“The greatest accomplishment is definitely the staff in my department,” Rowlatt said. “They’ve missed vacations, they’ve given up their management leave, they’ve called me on the weekends to cheer me up and get me ready for Monday. That staff is dedicated to Carson City and I really want to thank them.”
The board congratulated Rowlatt on her career and wished her well.
Following the presentation, Rowlatt asked the board to separate the Public Administrator’s office from the Clerk-Recorder’s department.
“When you get to election time, that office basically comes to a standstill,” Rowlatt said. “Elections is turning into a full time (job). You’re in the weeds, you can’t delegate that job; you’re responsible for it and you have to be there. In other departments, you have chiefs that are able to maintain those departments, but the Public Administrator as it’s currently structured is not set up that way. There’s no staff to go to to lean on during that time. Elections is a year and a half (long).”
Rowlatt also recommended a reconfiguration of the Clerk-Recorder’s Office to provide more space for elections, as well as for a public researching area for the Recorder’s Office.
“Although the Recorder’s Office is going strong and it’s serving its purpose to the public, it needs a bigger public researching area,” Rowlatt said. “It needs room for the public to come in and look at the documents so they’re not having to come into our secure offices.”
Rowlatt said there also needs to be more room for poll observers during elections.
“Poll observers want to be able to see what you’re doing and the way that it’s currently set up, I don’t have a place for them to see that to their satisfaction, short of allowing them into the secured election room and we can’t do that,” Rowlatt said. “When you’re doing those designs, please keep in mind that elections and recorder really do need more space.”
Elections
Within the Elections division of the department, in 2022 multiple projects were completed including increasing the number of full-time staff to three; implementing automatic voter registration processes and procedures in conjunction with the Secretary of State’s Office and the Nevada DMV; implementing same-day registration processes and procedures; created and chaired bi-monthly meetings of the Nevada Association of County Clerks and Election Officials to discuss election reforms across the state; and redistricting of Carson City wards.
Recorder
Within the Recorder division of the department, completed projects include the implementation of Landmark/Pioneer recording software; the purchase of a map printer and scanner for more availability to the public; the implementation of a Recording Notification Service; and the digitization of recorded documents and indexes dating from 1862-1969.
Pending projects include importing images and indexes into the new recording software; purchasing and installing fireproof shelving to house original old books onsite; purchasing a large capacity scanner for the front counter; and the continuation of recorded document image review for quality and accuracy.
Public Records and Meetings
In conjunction with the District Attorney’s Office, the Clerk-Recorder’s office streamlined the process for receiving public records requests for the city, and created a public portal to submit the requests.
Public Administrator
Projects included assisting families, mortuaries and the city with over 150 Public Administrator matters, including estate administration; signing cremation authorizations and assisting with indigent assistance; locating and notifying next-of-kin; identifying potential assets and obtaining legal counsel for estate administration; and assisting family members with obtaining legal counsel and applying for appropriate court approval.
Clerk-Recorder Elect Scott Hoen also attended the meeting, and congratulated Rowlatt on her work.
“These are big shoes to fill,” Hoen said. “She’s done an excellent job, and the state is losing a huge amount of knowledge with ten out of 17 Clerk-Recorder’s retiring for the state. The state is going to have some issues.”
