ROCKLAND, NY – Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick recently visited the Rockland County Clerk’s office to present a $75,000 check for a state grant he secured to pay for security and efficiency upgrades to the County Clerk’s Office in the Rockland County Courthouse. The County Clerk’s office assists thousands of Rockland residents every year with passports, court records, land records, immigration, business certificates, notarizing documents and pistol licenses.
Senator Reichlin-Melnick said, “Investing state dollars into local projects that upgrade security and efficiency is a priority for me. It’s one of the most direct ways that I serve my district by alleviating some of the local property tax burden while improving our community.” The Senator continued, “Rockland County Clerk Donna Silberman and her team assist thousands of residents each year with important documents. I’m proud to support improving the safety and efficiency of their work on behalf of Rockland residents.”
Rockland County Clerk Donna Silberman said, “We are grateful for the Senator’s support. He understands how to build partnerships between local and state government. This grant funding is going to help us reconfigure the space to improve both safety and customer service. We will be taking down a wall and installing a new counter that will be enclosed with bullet proof glass and have more space for assisting residents.”
Improving Customer Service
The redesign will create additional space to allow staff to better hear visitors and provide them with more privacy for their important documents. The opportunity to expand the area for staff to serve residents will be largely created by the removal of shelves filled with books of mortgage and deed documentation that is now available online. The records will be placed in storage.
Improving Safety in the Clerk’s Office
When designing the plan for the new space, the clerk reached out to the County Sheriff to determine how best to incorporate multiple exits to improve safety.