People who live in northern San Luis Obispo County may have to drive down to San Luis Obispo for clerk-recorder services if the county moves forward with consolidating services.
Many are unaware of the possible shift of clerk-recorder services 17 miles south, a financial decision by the county. After KSBY inquiries on the proposed closure, the county is reconsidering and will have further discussion on the issue.
The office provides services like marriage licenses, birth and death certificates, business records and more.
“There are about 74,000 [residents who] can be affected by this closure,” Cordelia Perry, SLO County Builders Exchange Executive Director, said. “They’re paying taxes that helped pay for that building. So this is actually very frustrating.”
Perry represents over 250 members in north county and coast.
“Anytime the contractor has any legal document that they have to file on a project, they will now have to make the trip to San Luis Obispo,” she said.
Perry charges the county wasn’t transparent about the decision, similarly to how it closed the planning department services in the same office a year ago.
County Supervisor for District 5 Debbie Arnold says she has received a number of complaints about the potential closure, one considered from a financial point.
“The services were being utilized to the point it justified the staffing being up here permanently five days a week,” Arnold said.
She says those who want it to stay can help drive what the county prioritizes.
“If the service is really something the constituents and citizens want to keep up in the north county, then I expect we can take a look at that with the budget sessions coming right up.”
Mayor Heather Moreno, who has also received feedback from the business community unhappy with the idea, said the City will push for services to stay put. Regardless, the assessor services will remain in the building for now.
If the clerk-recorder office is moved, it will be reopened and staffed for election days.
SLO County clerk-recorder Tommy Gong did not respond to requests for comment made on Friday afternoon.
