Sonoma County Recorder Bernice Peterson of the Recorder's Office and Historical Records Commission

Sonoma County. The chosen spot of all the earth as far as nature is concerned, according to the famed plant wizard Luther Burbank Diverse County, with 1,010,000 acres of land on 1574 miles of scenic roadways, Sanoma County is rightfully famed for its agriculture. Did a culture, industry

and recreation, as well as for the amazingly successful ethnic and economic mixture of its more than 340,000 residents on for the forward looking philosophy of its local governing bodies. Now we invite you to take a closer look at Sonoma County in the eighties with your host,

Rich McGlinchy. I will hurt everybody. Glad you could join us for this edition of Cinema Canada. We're gonna be talking Teoh friend, who? There's a lot of information to impart you about two things. One of the county recorder's office, which he heads, and we're gonna talk

a little bit about the Historical Records Commission. But before we get any further in the program, we want to express our regret that the person who was also supposed to be with us on this program, Dr Dennis Harris, professor. It's a normal state University and a

chairperson of the Historical Record Commission, came down with the flu can be with us. But Dr Harris remember one thing you promised so on a future date. Soon you have to come by and we'll talk some more. You will have to carry on for Dennis a

little bit today. Peterson. There's no kind of recorder in a good friend and haven't been with us for quite a long time. Maybe it's time we took a look at the recorder's off again. Certainly where's recorded over looking? The recorder's office is located at 5 85

fiscal drive. We're in the Cinema County complex of buildings by the freeway, and we're just south of the jail and south of the new Jail, too, because it's north of the old Bernie. You are the physical building, and that's, uh, the I guess I would say

the east end of it and the assessor's office is right next year. Okay, so anybody who wants to go to the recorder's office and many of us have to believe me many, many times, Um, you know where it is, Bernice. I don't remember the last time

we were with us just exactly what we touched on. But I think that we maybe should get a little bit into your background personally, Tell us a little bit about Bernie Pearson. Where you from? What you do before you became our quarters? Well, I was born

and raised in Northern California, and, um, I've been in a real estate broker back in the Midwest for a while. My husband was going school, and I've done escrow work, and I I had a background in banking on, Uh, I have a degree in psychology, and

you needed desperately over there. Uh, listen, you were elected recorder that you re elected or you were appointed. Recorded first to fill out the term of the late there, right? Yes. And that was with in 1977. I was appointed by the village. Super. Yes, it is.

And then you were elected to the the position of county recorder twice, Three times. Three times. Yes. Can again. Okay, so you've been recorder than actually since 1977. Yes. Uh, were you working with the office before? Yes, I was. I was a document examiner there in

the recorder's office. We're a unanimous selection of the Board of Supervisors to fill out the term and then successfully negotiated a couple three elections and and remains in our office delivery. Splendid job, the recorder's office in the county Clerks office. Sometimes you are mixed because both

do have some record function. But maybe you just would be a best time for you to describe the difference in recording office, and they kind of look up or just tell us what Recorder's office does. And you might put out what they do that certainly we

both do handle records. There are records management. However. There are totally different type of records. The County Clerks office has all the court records, and the recorder's office has the land records for the county we have. We handle things like vital statistics such as birth, death

and marriage certificates and military discharges. We also have all the maps for Sonoma County. Now the county clerk does files records, which means to keep that original record on file for the court records in a case Siri's, whereas we record the document meaning make a record

of that and we do that on microfilm and then return that original document to people such as their deep. But, uh, there's really a lot of you might even say romance in records and least I think there is because I'm going back in history and reading

some of the things that I know. You've discovered some rather unique things over in your department, but we'll talk at the latter. Part of a program will talk a little bit about the Historical Record Commission, which we hope Doctor Paris would be here with us to

discuss. But we'll be back sometime soon. What do you do in your office? Specifically, Kind of describe what well, as a document comes in, such as, um, a deed to be recorded. We take the document, we examine it to make sure that it not particularly that

it's legal because we don't determine the legality of that. But we determine whether it's recordable, whether it has all the elements of it. The legal description and the names and the signatures are correct, and that's properly acknowledged and so forth. And we record about all 350

to 400 different types of documents that can either support land records or are something that you use in that recreation such as a power of attorney and way checked the document. Then we if it's correct, then we go ahead and stamped that document with the date

and the time. Give it a document number, a serial number, and then we go ahead and collect the fees at that time, index it so that you can locate it in our office and then microfilm in return to the party. And, uh, the indexes are the

important things in order to locate our records. We are like a large library of land records. And so anyone can come in and we're open to the public from 8 to 5 and people come in and look up. Do a title search. Look up their information.

I think you think that's interesting. Should be interesting to our audience. Certainly is. Yours is pretty much a self sustaining department. Fiscally. Yes, it is that Would you actually charge fees to the users who who come in for services and those peas, uh, total or exceed

the cost of your operation? Yes. Oh, they definitely see that. Last year we collected about oh, about $3 million in fees and in transfer tax on that and our office operation Friends. About $800,000 a year. That's three times more. I know you want to hear that.

I knew I liked you. Uh, Jones, if you stay in the last few years, Yes, actually, quite a few. When I first came into the county recorder's office when I first worked there, the volume was we recorded 59,000 documents that year. This year. This past year,

as of December, we had recorded ah, 125,000 documents last year. So we've better than doubled in our volume. And in addition to that, we have several new things happening. We have a new computer system that we're installing, and we also have several new state mandates that

were required to do that We had never had to do before. Searches of record something. Well, you just mentioned the key words. The computer system. No, you have just install that. But how does it work? What does it do? Well, um, a new computer system. We're

going to have our vital statistics on. We've We've put that online. So we are onto the mainframe, and then in addition to that, we have our official records, which we went online as of July 1st of this year, and we will be going back in time

to have 10 years on the system. So when someone wants to come in and check their documents or their name to see if there were any leans or in conferences, or take a look at their deed, they will just key in their name and they could

go. It will check the thing for 10 years, so we'll have a property. Records are really very, very vital. They are. They go back to 18. 34. Since there were records to record yes, before we were a state, it was a matter of fact. They're they're

absolutely replaceable to you. Would you Can you have Mr Property another deed? You've gotta get that description thereof or you can't dispose of the property or leaving or anything else, can you? Well, it would be pretty hard to, because you have to document that. That's got

to be. You could do anything with my 10,000 acres up there. I can't prove I only they put a dam or you say that there's been a tremendous number of oh, are rather I guess I should say, an increase in the volume of recording since you

went in 59,000 to about 100.5 30,000. Uh, partly. I'm sure that due to population, But why would you say that is a curry? Well, it is. That isn't The major issue is the influx in population here in Cinema County, Uh, this was just within that time

period. And people have to document things more often nowadays. Um, just to prove who they are and the ownership of property. They're also buying and selling and borrowing money. Ah, lot more than they were years ago. So that makes a big difference to, um, and the

new state requirement. State mandates making the most of the order days people are now our county, for instance, has has had a heavy Italian population for many, many years noted, and somewhere pride by county Italian communities. But one of the things that many people of Italian

told me is their mothers and fathers. That sort of thing never sold property and never put a lean over. They're gonna say it was an act of emergency. So in those days, want someone who owned the property. It was pretty much you recorded in there. And

that was that. You say people are borrowing more. They're doing. They're in very using it as an investment tool. Very definitely. Uh, how many people you have working at the person time. We have 15 permanent staff, and then we have some extra help on occasion. Okay.

Volunteers? Yes. We do have some volunteers through different programs of genealogical society. Sometimes people come in and other developed. Recently in recent program, we had going Matheny from the county volunteers off talking about the people that she has placed with different cultures in the county and

the interesting jobs that are available out there. I think it will take a pause right about here on lengthy station. Bring the audience is a public service announcement because they come back. I've got a couple more questions. I want to ask you about the recording office

itself and your job and your staff. And that's anything. But I also want to talk a little bit about the Historical Record Commission, which we'd hoped Dr Harris to be with us here, but carry on for him and both of you. I would get together at

a future date. Talk about that. I think we're pause right here and we'll be back with Peterson. I just one moment. Happy birthday care. You've been working hard for 40 years. You deserve a wish. I were in Asia and Latin America. Wish for clean water, health

care, new forests, improved roads and farm lines and wish for 40 more years of support from generous, caring Americans. Happy birthday care. And may all your wishes come true when you bend a helping hand, you give yourself way. Becoming something so much more than words could

ever say John Denver asking you to make your united way pledge now, thanks to you, it works for all of us. United Way Won't you give today the United way? Bring happiness again. Welcome back. Ladies and gentlemen to this edition of Sonoma County in the eighties

were talking to Bernice Peterson, who is also my recorder and she is also a member of the Historical Records Commission. As we said earlier, we regret the fact that Dr Dennis Harris State University, who is also the president of the Historical Record Commission of the Chairperson,

could not be with us. He will be with us at some future date. We'll talk more with him about historical records. Bernie's in Dennis's absence. I want to ask a few questions about the Historical record Commission, and I think I think it's very important to find

out what it's been doing, what it's going to be doing. Perhaps first of all, the public may not know. So what is the historical record? The Historical Records Commission is a state mandated commission that we have five members and that there is a state mandate providing

for a commission. If each count he wants to appoint, the Board of Supervisors have want to appoint a commission, which are has done, and our commission was formed in 1979 and the commissioners were appointed in the first part of 1980. We've been working since that time.

All right, Uh, well, I think maybe got ask who are the commissioner's you, you know, list off. Yes, there's Dr Dennis Harris, who unfortunately, could not be here today. And then there's Pat Bernard, whose city clerk of Petaluma, and we have Dick Hogan, who is a

retired land surveyor here in Sonoma County. and, um, Audrey Herman, who is the libraries? That representative on the commission and myself. Joyce with? Well, Joy Side is the county records manager, and she is a liaison person to our historical records Commission. Yes, she does attend the

meetings. We also have liaison members from the historical Society's and from the Genealogical Society to Okay, uh, what did you say? The commission was former lady, actually, Yes. The commissioner's first took office in 1980. This is the better question. Why was it for? Well, um, it

was formed because there were several of us that realized that we need to do have a formal functioning group to oversee the idea of records management in the county and to give the county some help and direction as far saving historical records. Unfortunately, as each time

county offices made move or new people come in. If you don't have any directions about how to handle the records, sometimes they either get lost or you end up keeping records that you don't. You really need to have. And that's a very expensive storage. Okay, Somebody

probably is saying to themselves now, why do we need to maintain records? Well, for many purposes. Litigation, For one thing and for historical research, we have one of the most historical counties in California were one of the original counties that were formed, and we've been under

seven Flags on all of that. Documentation is here and available. Yeah, we are very option County. We do have amazing history, so I I understand why you have that, but I thought many Republican general what in the way we felt was necessary, I said earlier in

the program. That is sort of a romantic idea of keeping records. It is because you go back and look through some of those big books you've got there where they describe what they're doing of their property or over animals or anything there in those big handwritten

books back in the last century. That's right. It's a passionate. It's a wonderful job if you're nosy, like I like to know what happened before they say the past is prologue. Somewhere we find out there where we know what. Maybe over we're gonna find out what

could happen. We might. We were two things. What have you done so far as they historical records commission? Well, several things we've, we've done some outreach. We got busy when we were first formed and did some surveys throughout the county departments to find out the condition

of the records and what was, uh, should be deemed historical on what could be thrown away. And we also wrote some reports to the the County Board of Supervisors, and they very fortunately took some of our recommendations from those reports and hired a records manager a

couple of years ago. And so she is slowly but surely, lending her way through all the county departments and getting the records solely in shape assed faras being able to throw things out and have more room to work in and then also saving the historical records.

One of the things she has been very instrumental doing is differentiating between the records we need to keep in a record. That's exactly right. And we've been able to rid ourselves of a tremendous number of letters that do not serve a purpose now and can be

disposed off so that that in itself is a big help. Uh, what are some of the future plans that you have far or that you dentist in the commission have for the historical record commission. Well, we'd like to do some outreach. We would like to work

on the idea of getting and a archives developed and eso a place for the storage of those records. And we've also at the in the past, we've done several publications, and we'd also like to continue that work to, ah, inventories of records and things that are

available for research purposes. What if somebody out there has a record of something? They find something, encounter something in there. When somebody passes order and somebody stay for something, they think that this might have some historical value. What do they do with that? Well, they could

bring it into the recorder's office, and we could in turn take it to the commission the historical records commissioned and give them some recommendations if they plan on keeping it how to preserve that document or, um, there they may decide that they want to turn it

over to the county archives. It has historical value for Cinema County. Yes. Well, the county archivist would be in charge of the archives. No. Were that person No. At the present time, the county archivist is the light. But the county librarian. Okay, that would be That's

right. Although we do not have formal archives per se started. You folks Italian with historical society, of the museum or anything like that. Do you work with them at all? We do in that we help support there, work with some of their publications that they have.

They've done many publications, and they also sit in as a liaison person in our group. And we've done we've shared, oh, workshops. And that, like, through the Santa Rosa J. C, we've co sponsored groups, programs that they've had, and we've had there a couple of years

ago. You had an interesting display out there in the boy, I guess. Do you remember which, which was that? There was a couple of it, but a couple of years ago, I forget what the forget to be honest with you, what the subject was, but there

was some really interesting things from the past there on easels. Oh, well, we've had we had a display down from the State Archives on wine. The history of Wine County. Yes. And then we've also had in a small display area in the front. We've had some

of the artifacts of things that we've had in our orifice and how we operated years ago. Such is the old inkwells and the the old hand stamps and some of the hand written books. And, um, all of those different thanks week we've had also the leather

exhibits from cattle brands. And then we just you know, an interesting thing has just recently occurred or is occurring, and that is the creation by the library of a certain kind of wine museum. And I think it's supposed to be located. I believe in his birth,

and I was talking to member of the library staff who I think is going to hit this thing up, and he was indicating that he's looking for all the possible information they have about wine making. So certainly the museum and your office should be a place

that he should. Yes, we do have. We've had wine historians come in and do research in our office, and the state also has some information. Okay, All right. Now, let's go back for a moment to the recorder's office, which is your primary concern. Uh, what are

some of your primary plans if you could carry them out for the future of recording. Oh, goodness. Uh, there's quite a few. We want your right. Um, some of the things that we'd like to do is to work forward with our computer system, which we're doing

slowly but surely And, um, to add all of our eventually add all of the vital statistics on that. We're also looking at the idea of perhaps going to optical disk rather than the microfilm. And that would be an interesting thing. A computer assisted retrieval of those

records. And, um what? Forgive me for what would be the advantage of the optical disc. What? What does it How does it work? What is it off on? Optical disk would be the It would be somewhat similar in in that it would be the record. A

picture of the records such as microfilm at the present time Onley optical disc is on smaller Discuss different media and you could put a lot more on it and you can retrieve it a lot quicker so that that information would almost be instantaneous for people. I

want to ask you something that I thought was interesting. I think you told me this before you think you have 15 persons, I think working with you now. Some temporary people, volunteers. How many people you have working with you? When you came in about 14 I'd

say that's a well operate department 11 more employees in 11 years. They couldn't keep that record going. I don't know where we're stretched out now, just about as much as we could Dio. Oh, it's absolutely wonderful. They do an outstanding job. Claire McCullough. Yes, yes, and

she's just wonderful. June, I'm very funny. You personally you have got involved in. Well, first of all, your efforts have obviously been appreciate by your compatriots or by your counterparts, because I know that you are now involved in either state or national bodies. But if I

leave, you belong to the National Board of County Recorder's clerks. Uh, are you an officer that you say I'm on third vice president? You'll be up. There were cops like hopefully, uh, what is that group do? Well, it's It's developing professionalism in the groups. As far

as a county recorders and clerks. We also take a look at federal and local A national legislation throughout the United States. And, um, it's case of passing information on networking with other groups finding out what they're doing. And for an example, we have a piece of

legislation in the state of California, which we brought forward to the national association. And now Arizona and Florida also have passed similar legislation. And, um, we hope toe learn from that and speed things up. Help the public is most weekend. You also actually have a photo

department in your department. That's micro photography. Yeah, that's what that person is constantly occupied in filming those old records, I guess. Getting used to the microfilm date right now? Yes. You know what books I talked about a while ago in the beautiful handwriting. Big way about

what were they the property records of the 18 hundreds? Basically, yes. Well, back or anything that was recorded, many things were recorded. Several things that door no longer recorded. Uh, cattle brands, for example. Now the Department of Agriculture takes that has taken that over since 1934.

But we used to be the repository for that. Um, but we have land records. We have mining locations. We have is the same military discharges. There's many different types of records there, and the records go back to 18 34 before we were estate and some of

those Aaron Archaic Spanish, Uh, is there a state counterpart or federal counterpart to, you know? Uh, interestingly enough, there is not. In most every other constitutional office there is, such as the secretary of state's office for the county clerk and the state comptroller for the auditor.

But there is no state counter port for Recorder's office. Seems to be somewhat of an oversight because you're looking to lose an awful lot of state and way. They do have records management per se, but it's not. It doesn't have state across the board coverage. Well,

Bernie needs were just about out of time. Okay, Thanks for coming. Thank you for inviting me. I wish you elect in the world. Your duty is a recorder and anything that may accomplish in the future. And we have also want more concerned or sorrow that Dr

Dennis Harris could not be with of this tradition of canon eighties. But we'll definitely be with us at a future time. My name is Richman, 20 The program of cinema Canon eighties. We've been talking. I said a moment ago with Bernice Peterson. Arsenal with data recorder

tonight Hope you have a little bit better idea. What Recorder's office doesn't how important it is here. I'll be back with you next week with another member of the county government, family or related agency, and we'll talk a little bit more about the county we live

in county. We all love. Until then, Good night. Good luck and good health to each and every one of you.