News & Issues: Candidate Interviews

Chester County Recorder of Deeds Candidates:

Ryan Costello (R) and Kevin Fitzpatrick(D)

  1. Why are you running for public office?

    Ryan Costello:I have been a township supervisor for six years. While I wanted to be a lawyer, I also have somewhat of the political bug. In East Vincent, I have been on a board of three. I consider the position of Recorder of Deeds as a new challenge. It is an office that I deal with regularly. The position has seen substantial progress over the years, and I would like to continue the work that has been done. With my public service and professional experience, I see one of the priorities within the office as staying on top of technology. There are so many people in the county that use the Recorder of Deeds office as a resource in their day to day lives, that improving upon these services will truly benefit the county as a whole. I see myself as building upon this level of customer service.

    I am committed to more public outreach. I see the importance of going to REALTOR® meetings, local bank, and title companies to find out what to improve upon. I see the importance of listening to what services people value, what improvements people would like to see, and how we can effectively work with the public to bring progress to them. I am able to point to a record of accomplishment. Despite my age, I believe that the my experiences relative to public service have prepared me for the challenges and commitments that I would face as Recorder of Deeds.

    Kevin Fitzpatrick: To be honest, growing up I never had an interest in politics. A couple of years ago, my dad asked me to consider it. I was a bit frustrated with the national political scene, and I figured that I would be involved in politics in such a way that I could effectively make change. I've been auditor for East Bradford Township. People like to see my level of energy.

    I am running for elected office because the time seemed right. Several months ago, I came to the decision that running for office this year was not in the cards for me. The very day that I came to that decision, I received the call to run for a rank office at the county level, which made me completely reconsider. I contacted several people whom I trust to tell it to me straight, and every one of them felt that I would make a great candidate for Recorder of Deeds. I thought that it must be some form of kismet that such a call would come on that day, and decided to join the race
  2. What is the most pressing issue facing your jurisdiction and what are your plans to address it?

    Ryan Costello:Two things are currently priorities for the Recorder of Deeds. The first, which may not even be an issue by the time that the position would change over, is making sure that the personal information security is resolved. Sensitive personal information, which has been collected over the years, must be blocked out. This will be approximately necessary $50,000 expenditure. While it is a concern now, steps have been taken to resolve this issue.

    The main issue for Recorder of Deeds is to promote the use of technology. There have been strides made over that past few years that have really increased the overall efficiency of the process. It is a matter of making sure that the title companies and banks are e-recording as much as possible. It's a benefit to all parties concerned. They should be able to have a faster turn around on their documents. Last month 10% of docs were e-recorded, and I would like to see it above 50%. On the Recorder of Deeds side, e-recording is a benefit because it makes things more efficient. The scanning has already been finished, so half the work has been done. On the business side, as people retire, we may not need to make new hires. This would result in a savings to the tax papers. The objective should be to get things done efficiently, promptly, with the least cost possible.

    As we move the Recorder of Deeds offices into the Chester County Court House, the transition will prove to be another pressing matter. It will be important to ensure that this transition does not impact the public. My law firm is a title insurance company, and we often work in Chester County. I see the importance of this office to the public it services.

    Kevin Fitzpatrick: That is an excellent question. It's very tough. The most pressing issue is pretty easy. What I can do to address it is another issue. The level of sprawl within the county is a concern. The rampant building levels are having an impact on every level of infrastructure from roadways to school systems to water and sewer supply. As a county row officer, the ability to put plans into effect to offset these issues is somewhat limited. While I can make suggestions and try to influence policy on a municipal, county, or state level, that level of influence is not high. I would like to try and influence the development of urban centers. Phoenixville is up and coming if the county can encourage that kind of urban development, it would really impact the quality of life in Chester County. It would help the administration of many levels of service.

  3. What is your view of the real estate industry and what role would REALTORS® play in your public policy decisions?

    Ryan Costello:As a professional, I deal with REALTORS® everyday. I work with REALTORS® in process of property transactions. I have been very successful in having a practice that deals day in and out with buying and selling property. Just like with lawyers, they should be operating in the bounds which they are supposed to. In that respect, as a profession they have cultivated a definite area of expertise relative real estate. Before any change in the office would occur that would have a significant impact, the local real estate community as well as local title company would be consulted. I am very familiar with your industry and have a great respect for what you do. You have to look at your constituency. To me, it's a very easy thing to say….it would almost defy logic not to promote maintain and a relationship with REALTORS®.

    Kevin Fitzpatrick: The real estate industry has always been a bit of a mystery to me. REALTORS have to sell such an important thing to individuals – their home. And there are a lot of issues that REALTORS have to consider, from location to price to size to amenities. There are a lot of shows on right now that illustrate how difficult that process can be, and I appreciate and understand that it can be a difficult thing. In public policy decisions, the realtors and recorder of deeds spends a great deal of time working together. I want to hear ideas for improvement and complaints. I welcome any suggestions from REALTORS® as to how they feel things could be improved. I value your opinions now as well as after the election. I have spoken to many people to see how things can be made better for people. Quality customer service is key.

  4. If elected, what specific issues need immediate attention and how will you address them?

    Ryan Costello:Please see Question 2.

    Kevin Fitzpatrick: I have heard a few complaints/suggestions on how things could be improved. The office tends to close earlier than most people get out of work. Dealing with parking at the one office is another issue that has been brought up to me. Other priorities would be creating outreach programs, going out to the communities, keeping office open later, and keeping up with the technology of the recording industry. These things are not necessarily difficult to do, but would add a lot to the quality of customer service offered.

  5. Access to property data is integral to real estate transactions. Do you believe in making such information available to the industry and members of the public?

    Ryan Costello:Yes. To date, you will find that you can just about do any title search online. The next part of that is being able to get parcel information online. All that information is helpful to have more accessible. On the municipal level, they are getting that information made available. It is a matter of getting the county GIS system and making it open to the public. I should note that there are differences between the assessment office and the Recorder of Deeds office. If you are going to take it to the next level, I am not necessarily that you are going to have all the information available. The real issue there is cost. That information does have a price tag to it, and it is a matter of resolving the issues between access and cost. What role would REALTORS® have there? There has to be a middle ground. The business has a propriety value to it. It should be made available to the public without gouging them.

    Kevin Fitzpatrick:Yes. I think that is most of the job of the Recorder of Deeds. The reason for the office is to receive, process, and make available to the public when appropriate the data. Making sure that the data turn around remains fast is a primary objective in this process. These days, Chester County has that process down to a day or less than a week depending upon the type of documentation and how it is received. Continuing to provide a quick turn around in that process is important to industry and members of the public.

  6. Have you been endorsed by any political party or organization?

    Ryan Costello: I have been endorsed by the Chester County Republicans. My opponent in the primary did not go through the process. I enjoy that endorsement. As far as other endorsements that I am actively pursuing, I will reach out to the title community, The Tri-County Chamber, Business and Industry. I would like to be an ambassador as to what the office does.

    Kevin Fitzpatrick: The Chester County Democratic Committee unanimously endorsed me.

  7. Why should REALTORS® in your jurisdiction vote for you?

    Ryan Costello: I understand the issues of the office. I look at the office of Recorder of Deeds with a great deal of enthusiasm. The importance of the office has the ability to coalesce with the rest of business community. You want someone to come into the office with a good deal of enthusiasm so that the level of service to the public continues at the level it has. I see the importance of continuing the work that has been done.

    I should also note that the Recorder of Deeds office as a whole is a money maker for the county. If a candidate makes the claim that they will cut costs and increase revenue that does not necessarily make sense. It's a matter of really looking at what is best for the office as a whole. It's a cyclical market. There will be technological upgrades in the future, and we need to ensure that the modifications made truly improve upon what we already have. You need to make sure that change is coupled with responsibility.


    Kevin Fitzpatrick: I think that everyone should vote for me. REALTORS® included because I am passionate about making sure that things work and work right. I want to ensure that things are fair. That is a big reason why people should vote for me. Making sure that the 23 people who are in the Recorder of Deeds of office are responsible and focus on the needs of the customers is very important to me. I would also like to be someone that REALTORS® can count on when they have questions. I would be glad to talk to any of the REALTORS in Chester County both during and after the election to make sure that the office of Recorder of Deeds is as available to them as it can be.

  8. As the replacement of existing recording software will be a key priority for the next Record of Deeds in Chester County, what are your specific priorities relative to this process? Please expand upon your knowledge of the county needs and available software programs.

    Ryan Costello:Existing recording software contract with Eagle will continue month-to-month beginning October 2007. Eagle is the current system in tact, and has been used successfully by the Recorder's Office for the past 6 years; it is also used by Lancaster, Philadelphia and Lehigh Counties in southeastern PA. It is my understanding that my opponent, Mr. Jenkins, has a problem with the system, and left the Office as deputy shortly after Eagle was chosen. To date, I believe you will find that the title, legal, lending, and real estate community believes it is a well run, efficient system. Eagle is also the system which the present employees of the Office have used for the past approximate 6 years, and I believe you will find the Office employees have found it to be user and administrative friendly. There is no cutoff date for use of the Eagle System, service and maintenance will continue with no interruption at the current cost. The new Recorder can take whatever time he needs to research (1) upgrade of current system (2) new recording system or (3) renegotiate new contract with existing system. The upgrade of the current system is called Eagle Recorder. Benefits of this system include - operation on a variety of operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, Unix, Apple, et al. It is a browser based application with 64 bit N-Tier architecture so is compatible with Microsoft's Vista. It has enhanced public search capabilities and improved security features - images and data are stored in database as opposed to individual image files. Again, this will provide an additional layer of security. It features on-screen redaction capabilities. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) automatically recognizes index fields and has the "rubber band" feature to populate fields as well. Both of these options mean less index errors as typing is greatly reduced. Costs for the upgrade are inline with current costs. Mr. Farrell and his First Deputy have collected information on other recording systems as well. The data consists of vendor, system, costs, hardware, license fees, maintenance, etc. and will be available to the new Recorder when he takes office. If I am elected the new Recorder my decision to go with either an upgrade to the CRIS+ system or a new recording system, will be based on the following priorities:

    --Seamless conversion of existing images and data to either upgraded or new recording system. Methods to ensure this - due diligence - research other installs - third-party trusted vendor to oversee conversion, such as IQS. Lehigh and Lancaster are scheduled for upgrades this fall (prior to Chesco), so I would visit these counties and discuss the conversion with the County Recorder, Deputy, and their staff to ascertain how smooth and efficient the conversion was, as well as any trouble-shooting that was required, or may be required.
    -- Adaptability - ease of use for both staff and public.
    --Training of staff. Any suggestion or decision to convert to entirely new software needs to address how staff would be trained, time involved, and the question as to why a decision to change would need a compelling answer. If it isn't broken, it shouldn't need fixed. And I am not in the business of trying to prove I am smart by trying to point to the inevitable little flaws or converting to an entirely new system due to personal proclivities if the existing system is effectively in tact, fully operative, and being utilized by fellow Recorders.
    --Ongoing maintenance and service.
    --Cost.
    --Customization features and costs for same.
    --Vendor history and company reputation and financials

    It should be noted that the Recorder's office currently records approximately 10% of its records electronically. The volume of e-recordings is growing every month. Once Chester County is up and running with the multi-state e-recording portal, the volume of e-recordings will greatly increase. Existing submitters to the New Jersey portal will be able to submit to Chester County - and other Southeastern Pennsylvania Recorders who plan to join the portal. As more Pennsylvania Recorders join the portal, the cost of operation will be spread among the member counties. That, along with only having to create one interface with the backend recording system, makes the portal a cost effective way to increase the volume of e-recordings. As volume of e-recordings increases, tasks associated with paper documents will decrease. The Recorder's office anticipates reducing staff through attrition as volume of paper documents decreases.

    I believe you will find that I have done my research, am reasonable, and am determined to make a seamless transition into the Recorder's Office to replace Mr. Farrell. My candidacy brings the appeal of not merely understanding the Office, but appreciating that the existing staff, technology and office procedures are effective, successful, and should be built upon and enhanced in a sensible, cost-effective manner. The credit for the past 8 years of success is attributed to Mr. Farrell, his existing first Deputy, and the employees who work day in, day out, with a smile on their face and an open ear to the public, solving problems, and going about their duty to the public in an admirable way. For these reasons, and others, I would be very proud to be elected Recorder, and very excited to fulfill the duties of Recorder.

    Kevin Fitzpatrick: Replacing software in any business setting can be a difficult process, especially when working in the public sector. I currently work as a Video Producer for a local school district, and every few years it becomes necessary to update the software used in the video editing process. I have become familiar with the necessity to balance the need for a quality product (software and hardware that does the job needed well and fast) with the need to keep costs reasonable (it must fit into a school district budget). This process can be quite involved, but does not need to add extra stress for the office, or for the customer.

    Cost would have to be a major consideration. Making sure that the cost of the software is compatible with the budget set forth for the Recorder of Deeds office, and that a fair return on the investment in terms of functionality and ease of use can be expected. When working with taxpayer dollars, cost is an important factor.

    Functionality is also a concern. I would make sure that I spoke with representatives from the major organizations that use the Recorder of Deeds office regularly to ensure that the needs of their members are being met in the best possible way. I would definitely want to continue interacting with the SRA. I would also want to contact individual users to make sure that the needs of historians and curious citizens are met, as well.

    Finally, I would want to make certain that any software which is considered is well researched and has a history of quality service. Having staff from the Recorder of Deeds office, as well as outside representatives, test the software in action is important to making the best decision.

    Based on my research, the interests of the County would be best served by having online research, e-filing, and electronic confirmation components. Having a non-fee-based research component would be very helpful for at-home researchers. A more robust piece of software that includes e-filing and confirmation may require an account-based system so that fees associated with filing can be deducted from an account or paid for via another secure method.

    I have researched and used a few different pieces of title recording and access software. The iCRIS system that Chester County uses is just one of a variety of land records management software packages. There are other manufacturers and programs available, including TrakRecord from DTS, RecordFusion (with the benefits of being a Pennsylvania company), and AmCad’s AiLIS. I will refrain from offering an opinion about any of these packages until I am in office and am fully able to audit the needs of the county and the ability of the given software to meet these needs.