Name: Sandy Wegman
Campaign Contact: website: www.sandywegman.com; email: sandywegmanrecorder@aol.com; phone: 224-402-3915; mailing address: 38 River Bluff Road, Elgin, Il 60120
Age & birthdate: 68 – 11/23/1943
Family: Husband – Larry; Daughters – Penny & Lauren; Granddaughter – Kaleigh
Education: East Jefferson High School – Diploma
Chancellor’s Certificate in Comprehensive Public Administration offered by University of Missouri Graduate School Public Policy Administration Program & Continuing Education & Outreach at IACREOT
Occupation: Kane County Recorder
Political Party: Republican
Previous Elected or Appointed Offices: Kane County Recorder (2000-present);Gail Borden Public Library Trustee (1993-2005) Appointed Elgin Township Precinct Committeeman
Questionnaire
Is there any additional experience you believe qualifies you for this position?
Having been the Kane County Recorder since 2000, I have demonstrated my ability not only to run an efficient office, coming in under budget each year and returning money to the county, but also implementing improvements that benefit the taxpayers of the county. Streamlining the office has been underway for some time. Head count has been reduced from 33 to 19; by consolidating the services the Recorder’s office has returned the 2nd floor of Building C to the county for relocation of 911 and OEM, saving the taxpayers millions of dollars.
Through e-recordings the flow of paper has been reduced, reducing the cost of postage and allowing for immediate access to the data and/or images. By implementing innovative technology, Kane County has revolutionized how land record documents are not only recorded but searched. I am currently serving as the President of the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders (Zone IV).
What would your priorities be if elected to this office?
As always, this office is dedicated to having knowledgeable, friendly staff who are more than eager to assist. Due to the innovative technology which now exists in the Recorder’s Office, my focus will be to complete the rewrite of our Land Records System to take advantage of new technologies that will make the system easier to support and upgrade. Additionally, our entire SAN needs to be replicated to the off-site Disaster Recovery facility.
Our current Disaster Recovery plan only hosts the land records system. This replication would host a live replica of every server and all data that is not part of the land records system.
What sets you apart from the other candidate?
I have a proven track record of not only being fiscally conservative (coming in under budget each year), but I also have the knowledge and experience of preparing multi-million dollar budgets, reviewing, implementing and leading the way with new technologies to better provide services that the customers of this office have come to appreciate, Kane County was the first collar county to provide free online access to land records, among the first to return recorded documents at the counter at the time of recording, the first and only county to provide access via the IPhone and IPad and stream live data and images to the off-site server. I also stay current of the laws that govern this office and ensure that they are enforced.
What can the county do to promote job growth and draw new business to Kane County?
While this would fall more under criteria for County Board members, I feel that making government more responsive to the needs of the public while lowering its cost should stimulate economic development.
What more would you do to practice fiscal responsibility?
I believe that I have demonstrated my practice of being fiscally responsible by being one of the offices that consistently comes in under budget. This office is funded solely through user fees. There are no tax dollars involved. I have and will continue to work to transform the office into one that is efficient, technologically advanced and user friendly without being a burden on the taxpayer.
In what ways can the county operate more efficiently and improve technologically?
The county should focus on and provide those services which are mandated by law. Pet projects should not come into play. As to improving technologically, each office has specific needs and those should be addressed. Technology doesn’t always mean that you can cut staff, but you can change the direction of your workflow to make the office more efficient.
