TLC #67: A hot property, office of the Northern Berkshire Register of Deeds surveyed by two candidates

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Hey, Greylock Nation, today is Tuesday, October 23, and you’re listening to TLC episode #67. I’m your host, Jason Velázquez, and, as always, thanks so much for tuning in. On this week’s show, we explore the topic of the Registry of Deeds.

Unless you’re a real estate agent or a tax assessor, this government office is often overlooked until two neighbors have a property line dispute. And, although much of the focus on the elections next month centers around more high profile local or Congressional seats, the top position of Register of the Deeds is up for grabs every six years. Here in Greylock Nation, Berkshire County is divided up into North, Middle, and South Registries, each with their own staffs and head Registers.

Do you need to use a handy polling place locator ?

The Northern Berkshire District consists of the City of North Adams and the Towns of Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Flordia, Hancock, Lanesborough, New Ashford, Savoy, Williamstown, and Windsor.

provided by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, William Francis Galvin

We speak with Debrah Moran and Maria Ziemba, both of whom are possessed of lengthy tenures in different positions within Registry, about their plans for what they hope to accomplish should the voters chose them to replace Frances Brooks, who retires at the end of this term. Links to their Facebook Campaign pages are here in the shownotes.

So, as longtime listeners know, I typically do NOT assemble a list of questions for guests ahead of interviews. I find that custom-crafted episodes tend to be more interesting for everyone involved, including and especially you, dear listers. That said, I did try, in the interest of balance, to walk roughly the same conversational path with each of my guests. What I find fascinating tend not to be the glaring differences in response to questions, but the subtle nuances of perspective. Perhaps you’ll notice some variations that pique your interest as well.

Deborah Moran

Excerpted from Moran’s campaign Facebook page:

Deborah A. Moran, the current First Assistant Register of the Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds will be running for the position of Register in this fall’s general election being held on November 6, 2018. Moran, who has worked as the First Assistant Register, directly under current, retiring Register Frances Brooks, has held the current position since being appointed in May of 2016. She has spent her entire career in the real estate industry, first working for several local attorneys involved in real estate law and later was hired into the Registry of Deeds as a Junior Clerk in 1992 by then long time Register Edward W. Buckley Jr. This began her 26-year career in the office, working in every capacity and advancing up to her current position.

Maria Ziemba:

Excerpted from Ziemba’s campaign Facebook page:

I graduated from Hoosac Valley High School and from Bay Pay College with an Associates Degree as a Paralegal. Shortly thereafter I took a position with a local North Adams Attorney for ten years. This is where I gained my wealth of knowledge for legal work and real estate. I loved my work in that office. At this point in my life I was pregnant with baby no. 3 and was going to take a break from work to be home but as things would happen, instead I started to work at the Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds. This was February, 1997. My years of legal experience in the law office made the transition to working at the Registry rather easy. After years of preparing legal real estate documents now I was on the other side of the fence where I was recording them.

Before we end, I need to let you know that while you can download and listen to this and all our other shows for free, producing this programming is expensive, and the cost is rising all the time. We have no angel investors, no corporate sponsor with deep pockets, and a bare minimum of advertising. What I truly hope, is that you’ll think about what a rare thing it is to have this web station right in your own backyard. You’ll think about that and appreciate the fact that you can’t find this kind of quality in-depth local reporting anywhere else. And then you’ll decide that you need to take some responsibility for the shows you want to keep hearing and the articles you want to keep reading. At the bottom of every post, there’s a link to make a one-time one dollar contribution. You feel like what we do here is worth more than that? Look for the link to become a member — as little a buck a month from all our readers and listeners really would make a huge difference. We’d rather count on your direct support than selling your eyes and ears to advertisers. And if you’re already a paying member, thank you, thank you again.

Well, that’s our special coverage of the race for Northern Berkshire Register of Deeds. I hope hearing these combinations help you make your choice on Election Day, November 6. Be sure to check in advance to be sure your know where to vote. I’ve provide a link to a handy a poll locator in the shownotes if you need to look it up. Your government is kind of like your car — you want to be the one behind the wheel, right? Well, the ballot is your key. I’ve been your host, Jason Velazquez. Until next time, take care.

Music underscoring our membership appeal is, “The Temperature of the Air on the Bow of the Kaleetan,” by Chris Zabriskie, from Undercover Vampire Policeman and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Jason Velázquez has worked in journalism and publishing for the better part of 20 years now, even though he knows it’s a filthy habit. He writes the shows, sets up and records the interviews, edits the audio, and publishes the episodes. He also handles the web page maintenance, marketing, sales, finance, and administration. He would welcome an e-mail from you. If, however, you have confidential or sensitive information to pass along, please visit our Contact Page to learn about more secure options.