By Ray Balogh
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Republicans Teena Pence and Deborah A. “Deb’” Wright will compete in the May 3 primary election for the office of Kosciusko County Recorder. The winner will be placed on the ballot for the general election Tuesday, Nov. 8.

InkFreeNews asked each candidate to provide a brief bio and answer three questions about serving in the recorder’s office. Here are their answers:

Bios:

Pence: “I was born in Warsaw, graduated from Tippecanoe Valley High School and have lived most of my life in Kosciusko County. I have two adult children, a granddaughter and a second grandchild expected in May. I have shared almost 20 years with the love of my life, who also has two adult children and a granddaughter. He and I are beyond proud of each of them for the families they have created and for their many accomplishments.”

Wright: “I was born and raised in the Warsaw/Winona Lake area. My parents are Bob and Carolyn Wulliman and my sister is Diane Wulliman. My husband, Andy Wright, is from the Pierceton area and works for the City of Warsaw. I also have a stepdaughter, Raygan.”

What education, work, and life experiences do you have that qualify you to run for recorder?

Pence: “I have worked for the county since 2009, first as an appeals specialist in the assessor’s office and currently as a financial deputy in the auditor’s office. With over 20 years of combined experience in various aspects of records management, including tax appeals, grant management, meeting minutes, title research and legal as well as medical records maintenance, I am confident I have the skills and abilities to successfully operate the recorder’s office with knowledgeable and professional expertise.”

Wright: “I have previously served two terms as Kosciusko County Recorder. I have spent 12 years as chief deputy and have been employed in the Recorder’s Office over 23 years. I am a 23-year member of the Indiana Recorder’s Association, a silver level education certificate holder from the Association of Indiana Counties, a certified county official through a partnership of Ivy Tech and AIC and have completed required recorder training twice.”

What are the most pressing challenges in the recorder’s office at this time, and how will you address those challenges?

Pence: “I believe it is important to keep the community informed of changes in legislation that often affect the fees and requirements of recording their important documents, as well as to continually elevate the utilization of safe and effective forms of technology available to preserve the integrity of all records.”

Wright: “The most pressing challenge is continuing to upgrade technology. During my first two terms as recorder, we were a pilot county in Indiana for e-recording, which now averages 76% of our daily recordings. We also introduced online document searching and credit and debit card transactions to county offices. We have imaged most of the older records and I want to continue until all of them are complete. I also want to restore the very old books in storage to preserve our county’s history.”

What are your philosophy and priorities in serving the public through the recorder’s office, and what ideas, if any, do you have to improve the functions of the office?

Pence: “I have taken great pride in providing a friendly and positive experience for each individual I have had the pleasure of serving over the years. I value the diversity of our community, have developed strong relationships with people at all levels in and out of county government, and my intention is to bring the standards of service I value most into the recorder’s office with a fresh perspective on the level of advancements I believe can be achieved. I am seeking the position of county recorder because I believe it is the right platform for me to most effectively continue to serve the community with the professionalism and kindness they can always expect from me.”

Wright: “I am passionate about public service and our taxpayers deserve to be treated with respect and assisted in any way we can help. We are very often thanked and told how kind and helpful we are. I am very proud of that and will continue to ensure that is the service we provide, along with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere that puts our citizens at ease. All employees are completely cross-trained to provide the most efficient service possible and keep our processes running smoothly.”