St. Myers, Heitkamp in race for county recorder (10/27/06)

Jay County's Recorder, finishing up her first four-year term in office, will be challenged by a political newcomer in the general election Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Republican Betty St. Myers, 1731 North U.S. 27, Portland, was first elected to the recorder's office in 2003 after working as first deputy in that office for more than seven years, while Democrat Linda Heitkamp, 5698 East 600 North, Bryant, is making her first run for political office.

St. Myers is a 1978 graduate of Jay County High School, has been enrolled in various courses through Ivy Tech, and has attended numerous state meetings for the Indiana Recorders Association.

She is married to Terry S. Myers, who is employed at Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Portland, and they have one daughter, Erin St. Myers, a student at Indiana-Purdue University in Fort Wayne.

St. Myers is a member of the Portland Evening Optimist Club where she is a past president and current board member and newsletter editor, Indiana Central Committee, Republican Women's Club, Lincolnia Club, Indiana Recorder's Association, Cushman Club of America, Association of Indiana Counties, Bryant Wesleyan Church where she has worked with its Kids' Club and Vacation Bible School, and the Jay County Historical Society.

Heitkamp is a 1988 graduate of Jay County High School and attended Purdue University and Wright State University. She was previously employed for eight and one-half years with Division of Family and Children where she was an eligibility worker with residents seeking food stamps, TANF, and Medicaid.

She and her husband, Jim, have three children, Jacob, age 13, Sarah, age 10, and Rachel, age 2.

Heitkamp is a member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and its Altar Rosary Society and CCD board, served on the Bryant Loblolly Days Committee, Wabash Cannonballs 4-H Club, and Jay County Democrats.

The candidates recently answered questions submitted by The Commercial Review. Following are their responses:

Why are you running for Jay County Recorder? What makes you qualified for the position?

St. Myers - I am running for the position of county recorder because I enjoy working with the Jay County government and serving the community. Also, I would like to continue moving forward on some of the projects I have started in my current term, such as digitally copying old newspapers and saving them on compact discs in order to preserve our county's historical records.

I am qualified for this position because for the past three years as county recorder, I have ran an efficient office in which we continually meet state archives guidelines. Also, we have remained in good standings with the State Board of Accounts and have had no problems with audits.

Also, I have been employed in the recorder's office for over 10 years and am knowledgeable about state laws pertaining to recording and maintaining important records.

Heitkamp - I am running for recorder because I feel it is time for a change. As voters, we deserve the right to be able to have a choice in candidates. My family has been active members of Jay County for generations. My grandfather, Ora Davidson, was trustee for Wabash Township for years. My father, Orville Davidson, was also a very respected farmer in Jay County. We love Jay County and its people. I have worked with the state for over eight years. I have excellent customer service experience in helping families overcome limitation and barriers, including language barriers. With these type of skills, I know that I will make an excellent recorder.

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If there is one thing you want to make sure the voters know about you or the office you are seeking, what would that be?

St. Myers - In 2006, the recorder's office underwent a change in protocol due to a change in Indiana state law. The new law passed, House Bill 1114, made it necessary to redact, or remove, all Social Security numbers from documents that are to be recorded. This new law was put in place to help protect personal identity.

In a few years, recorders' offices state-wide will need to experience a significant change in the way they record documents if they haven't already. By Jan. 1, 2008, a new digital imagining system will be installed in all recorders' offices in the state of Indiana and the latest redacting technology will be used to remove all Social Security numbers found in any recordings, past and present.

I am looking forward to these changes in the office and plan to convert old documents to digital images to meet state requirements and help searching for records become a more efficient process. I would appreciate the opportunity to serve a second term and continue working toward my goals and serving this community as Jay County Recorder.

Heitkamp - The recorder's job is run by state rules and guidelines. Our recorder must be able to handle the changes and pass those changes on to the public. I have vast experience in similar working situations. I already have plans in motion for training prior to taking office, therefore there will be no lapse in coverage.

I promise to execute the responsibilities of recorder with accuracy and professionalism while treating our families with respect. I am a person who lives by the rule to treat others the way I would be treated. So, I will handle your recorder needs with honesty, integrity, and a smile. Please vote Linda Heitkamp for recorder.[[In-content Ad]]