ADAMS, Mass. — Northern Berkshire Register of Deeds candidate and first assistant register Deborah Moran is ready to step up to the office’s top position.

 

"I have the experience. I have been there for 26 years and I have started a lot of projects that I would like to see continue," Moran, an Adams native, said. "I have an appreciation for the history of the office…and I really enjoy this work."

 

Moran, who is running as an independent, will vie against a single opponent, Maria Ziemba, for the position soon to be left by longtime Register Frances Brooks, who plans to retire.

 

Before being hired as a junior clerk in 1992, Moran worked in the real estate industry. In 2016 she was promoted to first assistant register.

 

Moran said Brooks has entered into a "soft retirement" so she already is responsible for many of the Register’s duties. 

 

"So as first assistant I kind of take care of the day to day operations, human resources, and any budgetary issues," she said. "I am actually doing the job already."

 

Moran said she wants to continue digitalizing and preserving registry documents and was able to obtain funding to purchase a scanner needed to make that happen.

 

"Years and years ago before everything was computerized everything was put on a 5 by 7 index cards," she said. "I managed to obtain funding to get a nice little scanner so we can scan them into our database. We have approximately 220,000 cards."

 

She added that she has also secured funds to preserve documents on microfilm. She said these documents include surveys, some of which are so old they cannot be scanned safely. Moran said she has reached out to a company that will restore the documents and digitalizes them. 

 

"I want it protected and easier for the public, but I would like to keep the office friendly for those who may not have a computer or know how to use one," she said. "But I like to know that everything is backed and is accessible it just makes me feel better."

 

Moran said she "wears many hats" and is currently in charge of IT at the Registry. As the Register, she said she would make sure Northern Berkshire County residents have access to the latest technology.  

 

"I want to go as far as we can with technology while working with the state," she said. "I want to move forward with new technology and new ways of doing things. I want to make everything more user-friendly and make sure customer service is right out there."

 

Moran said solid customer service is also important to her. 

 

"I am very personable and dependable, and I want to help people," she said. "It is important for the registry to be accessible by the public and I understand a lot of people may not be familiar with the registry and real-estate law and I want to help."

 

Moran said she wants to continue to budget frugally within the office and move forward with the town of Adams to make the Registry ADA compliant.   

 

Moran said she wants the Registry to continue to thrive and be a resource for years to come. 

 

"I just hope that everybody recognizes my ambition and what I want to bring to the registry in the future," she said. "I appreciate everybody’s support."

 

Moran will not be on the Sept. 4 Democratic primary ballot because she is running as an independent but will be on the general election ballot Nov. 6.