Newly elected Clinton Co. Clerk aims to improve efficiency

PLATTSBURGH | Sworn in as Clinton County Clerk on Jan. 2, Brandi Lloyd started a job she has worked toward for over a decade. She became the first woman elected to post since founding county officials took office on March 7, 1788. Melancton Lloyd Woolsey, who lived in the Village of Champlain, became the first clerk alongside township founders Charles Platt, judge, and Benjamin Mooers, sheriff and treasurer. Lloyd was elected to fill a position held by John Zurlo for over 30 years. Zurlo and Lloyd also hail from Champlain. "I did not know that was the case when I started running in 2023," Lloyd said of her historic election. "My goal has always been to be the best person for the job." Her aim is to continue improving access to public records in the clerk's office and efficiency in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Lloyd credits deputies Giselle Hamms in the clerk's office and Deanna Rock at DMV with their work to ensure a smooth transition. "I am very lucky to have two amazing deputies. They've gone above and beyond. They're great women," Lloyd said. NEW DMV SYSTEM COMING The first major change in service is coming in February when New York State DMV will move all records to a new computer system, replacing multiple outdated software applications. It will take several days to install the new platform, and DMV offices statewide will close down both in-person and online on Friday, Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. Access will remain closed through Tuesday, Feb. 17, encompassing the Presidents Day holiday. Once the state gives the all clear, offices will reopen Wednesday, Feb. 18. "We will be open for limited transactions on Friday, Feb. 13. On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, the state is going conduct the transition. We're closed normally for the Feb. 16 President's Day holiday on Monday, and will also be closed on Feb. 17," Lloyd said. "We plan to be open and operational on Feb. 18." Staff have been training with the new system in phases over the past few months, Lloyd said. "The whole system has to come down. We are moving all old DMV records to a new platform and the state has to migrate about 30 million records to bring the first phase of the upgrade online. "The New DMV system is a standalone, I'm excited for that on the DMV side," Lloyd said. "It is designed to improve efficiency on one secure platform rather than working from multiple programs. The biggest impact will be on our team as we learn the new system. The main goal is to provide customers with faster more efficient transactions. "I'm going to ask the public to be patient as we use the new system with customers. Just give some grace while we learn." No DMV transactions will be able to be completed during the entire transition period. There will be no online access through the state's DMV website and they will not be answering their phones. New York State contracted with FAST Enterprises LLC for the upgrade. The company has implemented similar systems in more than 20 states. The new platform incorporates additional online transactions, making it easier for people to do what they need on their own time from home. The software is designed to integrate seamlessly with future tech enhancements. Another upgrade is planned for 2028. Lloyd said the person-to-person DMV Help Desk will continue to be an important resource for customers who come into the Clinton County office. "The Help Desk is truly a resource for anyone who needs help understanding what records they need or translating what a form is asking for. We'll continue providing that assistance and make sure the customer leaves happy with the transaction they came in for." NEW STAFF The 2026 Clinton County budget added funding for a new DMV employee, Lloyd said, which should support customer service. "We're hiring an additional staff member on the DMV side, hoping to onboard them in the next 30 days or so. We've been short-staffed there since Covid." The county budget is finalized for 2026, but the clerk's office is seeking resources next year to help get more public records digitized and placed online. "We're looking into 2027 budget items to include digitizing everything that is not already online. These include historical documents, deeds, marriage information, and court papers on one side. We have a whole new round of older documents that the public needs access to. We're applying for grant funding to help, but also will request an item in the budget that would be spread over a couple years." Some very old deeds are fragile and difficult to digitize, she said. As 2026 begins, the clerk's office is still considered "John's office," Lloyd said, a tradition she respects, having been elected the first new clerk in 34 years. The building itself was dedicated to the longtime public servant last summer, becoming the John H. Zurlo Government Center. "I found a notebook in the office. It lists all of the county clerks since Melancton L. (Lloyd) Woolsey. This shows he was sworn into office on March 7, 1788, the very first clerk in Clinton County. I'm the 32nd to serve," Lloyd said. The county clerk is looking forward to regional celebration of the 250th year since the U.S. Declaration of Independence, which was, in effect, a clerical document signed by 56 delegates at the Second Continental Congress in 1776. Their signatures established a new nation. "We will be involved in the America250 celebration. This year is going to be fun," Lloyd said.

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Newly elected Clinton Co. Clerk aims to improve efficiency

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