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County clerk reports spike in mortgage and passport activity, notes staffing turnover
Summary
County Clerk reported a large increase in recorded mortgages and state revenue‑sharing for February, a rise in online DMV transactions, mobile DMV locations and staff retirements; clerk urged patience with complex title and ID issues.
Sullivan County Clerk Russell reported to the legislature that the clerk’s office has seen a marked rise in recorded mortgages, passport applications and other transaction revenues month‑to‑month.
Russell said February revenue sharing to the county showed a large increase compared with the prior year. “If you look at February, we’re double this February than the previous year,” he said, and he later described a 431% increase in a particular revenue‑sharing line item tied to legislative changes the county clerk association pursued with the state. He said online transactions — where many routine DMV tasks are now completed — have grown and that the office is receiving a higher share of online fees.
The clerk said the office’s growing online workload has meant more complex cases appearing in person: “Every transaction seems to be a difficult transaction,” he said, citing title problems and filing errors submitted by some dealers and third parties. He said the office frequently acts as a problem‑solver for residents and other agencies, correcting filings and guiding people through missing or inconsistent source documents.
Russell reminded residents that full‑service mobile DMV visits are available in Liberty, Grahamsville, Jeffersonville and Bloomingburg, and that the county’s mobile van has been helpful reaching residents in those communities. He also reiterated the state deadline for Real ID/enhanced licenses as May 7 and explained the enhanced license requires a longer in‑office process because additional source documents are verified.
Russell said the clerk’s office recently recorded an uptick in passports and other services, and thanked staff for handling the volume. He also noted recent retirements and the loss of institutional knowledge: one longtime employee, Dorothy, will retire after 39 years, and the clerk said the department’s HR team is assisting with transition planning.
The clerk closed by asking for patience from the public and said the office will continue to triage and resolve complex title and identity issues.
No formal actions on clerk staffing or policy were taken during the meeting.
