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After the primary eliminated six candidates, there are just four people on the ballot for Suffolk County Register of Deeds, a position left open when Francis “Mickey” Roache, former Boston City Councilor and former Boston Police Commissioner retired from the $124,000 per year position at the end of 2015.
The register’s job is often not well understood by the electorate. The register is “responsible for maintaining a permanent public record of all properly drawn legal documents submitted by the public relative to real estate, including deeds, mortgages, surveyor and architectural plans, liens, certificates of title and other records as mandated by statute,” according to the Suffolk County Registry website.
Virtually all of the public records relating to real estate ownership are maintained by the register. It’s the kind of office that is easy to ignore or overlook, but one that does vital work.
Middlesex County North District Register of Deeds Richard Howe, with more than 21 years in the position, in a telephone interview gave an overview of how the office functions and what advice he would have for a new register.
The Suffolk County office has existed since the early 1600s and a lot has changed since then, especially with regard to technology. Howe said many of the people who come to his office are not attorneys and bring with them documents of questionable legality and relevance. About half of those documents are recorded electronically. For that reason, he said an interest in – and facility with – technology is a must.
Acting Suffolk County Register Thomas M. Ryan did not respond to a request for an interview.
When asked what advice he would give a newly elected register, Howe said, “I would say embrace your staff and make a quick assessment who the strongest people are and have them teach you. You should learn how to do every job in the place. You should know how to record docs. Find out how other people do things.”
Candidates’ responses are listed in alphabetical order. They were submitted by email and edited for space and clarity.
What training/experience do you have that will help you decide which documents you can accept and which you can’t? If you don’t have that training/experience, where and when will you get it?
Margherita Ciampa-Coyne: As a veteran real estate paralegal and employee of a national title insurance company, I have over 25 years of experience in the real estate title and conveyancing industry, which includes the review and drafting of real estate documents acceptable for recording in Massachusetts Registries. I started my career as a residential real estate paralegal … I learned what “good title” means and saw firsthand the effects of irrelevant and poorly drafted documents on the title chain. For over a decade, as a commercial real estate paralegal in a major Boston law firm, I reviewed and prepared documentation involving corporate and/or private entities where documents included votes, clerks’ certificates and ucc-1 financing statements.
Joe Donnelly: I have been a notary public for over 20 years. I have been hired over the years by notary companies representing title companies to notarize mortgage applications, deeds etc. Also my 27 years in the real estate business has also been helpful.
John Keith: I have been a licensed real estate salesperson and broker for the past 14 years, so I am already familiar with many of the types of documents that pass through the registry. Although the Register of Deeds is ultimately responsible for what happens at the registry, the majority of the day-to-day work related to specific documents is handled by the assistant registers (of which there are four). The Suffolk County First Assistant Register, Tom Ryan, is an attorney who has been with the registry for 16 years and by all accounts has been doing an excellent job. I would rely on his expertise, and that of the other assistant registers.
Stephen Murphy: For the registered land section of the Registry of Deeds, the Land Court dictates what documents they accept and they also provide explicit details. The Massachusetts Register’s Association has adopted indexing standards that address some of these issues. In addition to providing detailed information on MGL Chapters 36 and 183, the Real Estate Bar Association (REBA) is also a great resource. REBA puts out title standards and works closely with the registries across the commonwealth. The staff at the Suffolk Registry of Deeds is experienced and very capable. I look forward to working with them side-by-side to learn more about individual transactions and also look to ways to best help anyone who has business or questions with the Suffolk Registry.
What is your level of comfort with technology? How will you keep registry data safe from hackers?
Ciampa-Coyne: I am comfortable with technology as I use and apply it in my everyday life and current workplace. At the Registry of Deeds, converting paper documents into electronic images of land records not only decreases their space needs but also provides greater access to the public. I will work with the Office of the Secretary of State to keep data safe, but data security is not just an IT problem; human error or carelessness can wreak havoc on the most sophisticated program and mistakes happen. I will focus on reinforcing the data security best practices and properly training staff as they are the strongest line of defense.
Donnelly: I have a long history dealing with technology. My first year at Boston University was as a math major learning how to write code. Mostly self-taught the last 20 years or so. I deal with the Multiple Listing Service, where technology updates are almost daily. I would depend on experts to ensure the records are hacker-proof.
Keith: I’m pleased to say that I have a strong technology background. I have held jobs as a business analyst, quality assurance analyst, and implementation consultant (doing software conversions). Actually, it is specifically because of this level of experience that I wanted to run for the position and why I believe I will succeed as register of deeds. I already know my way around data. Documents filed at the registry are, for the most part, public records. There’s little to no risk of “hackers” taking advantage of that. (And there would be no real benefit to anyone who hacked the system.)
Of note, one of my priorities as register of deeds will be to increase the amount of data that is available through the registry’s website. So, in addition to names, addresses and dollar amounts, users will be able to search records in the registry database by ZIP code, neighborhood, lender name, etc. I’ll ensure that everyone’s privacy is protected.
Murphy: All technology improvements for the registry are approved by the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office. Some registries in Massachusetts contract with outside companies to e-record and that is bonded and done through attorneys and banks with stringent security protocols.
If elected, you’ll be managing 28 employees. Please outline any management experience you’ve had. How would you describe your management style? And what philosophy would you try to impart on the people working for you?
Ciampa-Coyne: I would best describe myself as having what I term an “adaptive” management style. When I was the operations manager of the Massachusetts division of a Fortune 300 company, the most effective way for me to manage my team was to understand how each of their roles fit into the success of the larger picture. I find that if you educate your team, provide them with the proper tools, including ongoing training and support but also allow for individual ownership in successes and failures, the members of the team become invested.
I also believe in leading by example. I will be working in the office every day and my door will always be open. As the registrar of the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds, I will implement ongoing education for staff members so that they can impart that knowledge on the residence of Suffolk County through their daily interaction. Real estate transactions and recordings involve specialized knowledge and all members of my team should be prepared to be informed educators who empower the members of the community.
Donnelly: In the 1980s and 1990s, I managed a sales team of over 50 people. This was in a management/union shop company. I would lead by example. Showing up every day, treating people the way I would want to be treated. I would also spend time with each employee to learn their job and offer my support.
Keith: I have worked in an office environment for about half my professional life (15 out of a total of 30 years), much of the time spent as a manager. I am eager to get back to it, having spent the past decade running my own real estate brokerage.
As a manager, I often come off as serious and to the point, but people who have worked for me would say that they enjoyed being part of my team, that I nurtured them, and that by working with me they achieved both personal and professional growth.
My attention to detail and my desire to do a great job are my biggest strengths. I would expect nothing less from those working in the registry office with me. My goal would be to inspire registry employees to learn new things and to seek out new opportunities, both in and out of work.
Murphy: The register of deeds is the manager of a public agency. I served three terms as president of the Boston City Council; I managed a budget of $5.8 million with 88 employees and returned surplus funds at the end of each fiscal year end. I also have prior experience as a general operations manager in a private sector transportation company where I oversaw over day-to-day operations and 400 employees.
My management style has always been inclusive. I have always focused my attention on the needs of those who take the time to call or visit. I lead by example to ensure that each call or visit is answered professionally with kindness, a positive interaction and helpful information. When someone takes the time to reach out to find out information or needs help with an issue, that question or issue is of the most importance to that person, and I ensure that they should be treated as such by the staff that assists to navigate through government processes – which at times can be daunting. Constituent/consumer service is the cornerstone of public service and the most important part of our job.
Residents of Boston, Winthrop, Chelsea and Revere can cast their ballot for Suffolk County Register of Deeds on Nov. 8.
