Letter from Kathy Sinnott Gardner
Experience Vital to Clerk Position
On AllOtsego.com two weeks ago, Mr. Benton discusses speeding up the process of filing and recording documents to improve customer service. His response was proof to me how little he knows about the county clerk’s office.
For many years now, the county clerk’s office has processed their land recordings and civil court filing via electronic means, known as e-recording and e-filing. Mr. Benton needs to explain how much faster he intends to speed the process up beyond that. If he had any knowledge of the office, he would know that he has absolutely no control over the civil court matters filed with the clerk’s office. Only the New York State Unified Court system can set the guidelines for him.
He failed to acknowledge that our records are also accessible online. He mentions that the clerk needs to be in office and available at all times. Then he states they need to be all over the county. How will he accomplish this while he is busy in Albany fighting for unfunded mandates as if he were an assemblyman? I would imagine that when he fails to get elected as county clerk that is the next office he will run for.
He has absolutely no knowledge of the operations of either the Department of Motor Vehicles or the clerk’s office. Mr. Benton is an individual who just wants to run for office, any office. And more power to him. Let’s not forget that two years ago he announced that he was going to run for county representative.
The county clerk’s office does not need a politician. What the offices need is a person with complete knowledge and the experience. As your current county clerk, with 27 years of experience, 20 of those years as county clerk, I know personally that there is only one candidate with the knowledge, experience and tireless work ethic to be our county clerk. I will be voting for Jennifer Basile on November 7. Join me in making the best decision for the Otsego County clerk’s office and the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Kathy Sinnott Gardner
Otsego County Clerk