January 17, 2007:  When Timothy C. Idoni was sworn in as Westchester’s 43^rd County Clerk in January, 2006, many wondered how the fourteen year Mayor, who built the foundation on which the current revitalization of New Rochelle is taking place, would transition from being the dynamic leader of a growing community to the professional manager of the office responsible for safeguarding county records.  The results have been tremendous for those who live and do business in Westchester.  After just one year in office, Idoni has eliminated the six-month backlog of deeds, mortgages and other land records, improved staff productivity, protected the privacy of thousands of residents, and made dramatic improvements in increasing accessibility to records and services.

These results, and an overview of the office, are documented in the 2006 Annual Report of the Office of the Westchester County Clerk.  “One thing you will not find in the pages of my first annual report, but what I value as my most significant achievement in 2006, is that those we serve have witnessed the emergence of a professional level of service from a government office,” stated Idoni.  “So while my dedicated staff and I are pleased that Westchester residents trust us to secure their records, we are most proud that our office has broken away from the stereotypical expectation of mediocrity which plagues so many government offices.”  Idoni, a former municipal manager and Past President of the Westchester County Municipal Officials Association who holds an M.P.A. from New York University, has frequently shared his belief in good government managed by professionals.  In his first year in office, Idoni transformed the Clerk’s Office into an efficient, respected operation. 

“I have been energized by the opportunity to return to my management roots and to serve residents throughout Westchester as their County Clerk,” shared Idoni.  And in an office of ninety-five employees, Idoni’s energy and active management style has not gone unnoticed.  The Westchester County Clerk can be seen walking through the offices to address employee concerns or constituent inquiries at all hours of the day.  “I have always believed that public officials must give the taxpayers a hard day’s work” said Idoni, a twenty-six year public servant.  “And I know my active involvement in the management of the office has provided my dedicated staff with the support and tools they needed to implement organizational improvements.” 

Idoni's arrival in the County Clerk’s Office has been met with the approval of many attorneys, bankers and real estate industry professionals who had grown frustrated by the office’s inability to keep records current.  “The industry as a whole is very pleased with the progress we have seen since County Clerk Idoni took office” stated Jean M. Partridge, Co-Chair of the New York State Land Title Association Liaison Committee for all County Clerks of the Hudson Valley Region.  “And our association has been particularly impressed with County Clerk Idoni’s active participation in our organization.  He attends our meetings, listens to our suggestions, implements change, and his staff has followed his lead,” continued Partridge.  “We realize that a reduced volume has been a factor in the elimination of the backlog, but the initiative County Clerk Idoni has taken to address problems head-on gives us confidence that the elimination of the backlog is only one of many improvements we will see during his tenure.”  County Clerk Idoni looks forward to continuing to work with professionals who use his office to increase efficiency and streamline services.

The Office of the County Clerk is also responsible for the processing of pistol permit applications, a responsibility which has gained attention in recent months as county officials have debated whether the issuance of pistol permits should be an administrative or judicial function.  “The days of getting back door pistol permits in the County of Westchester have come to an end and as a result Westchester residents are safer,” stated Idoni who instituted new policies to ensure the equal treatment of all pistol permit applications.  “My new procedures have eliminated discrepancies in processing including the bypassing of the Department of Public Safety review and ensured that each application moves through the entire system,” concluded Idoni.

The Annual Report highlights that $283,963,468.34 in funds passed through the Office of the Westchester County Clerk and over 500,000 property, business and court documents were filed or recorded by its staff in 2006.  The Office of the County Clerk touches the lives of so many of Westchester’s residents and business people.  From safeguarding court records, to recording deeds and mortgages, to licensing plumbers and electricians, its responsibilities to Westchester County residents are varied and significant. 

The Office of the Westchester County Clerk is located at 110 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.