Jonathan (Jon) Miller of Chesterton has announced that he will run as a Republican candidate for Porter County Recorder.

The recorder maintains and preserves permanent public records of all legal documents affecting title to real property. These records are the legal basis for determining ownership. Storage methods to record these documents include paper, microfilm, and digital storage.

According to a statement released last week, Miller, 52, has served the public for 27 years with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department and the Porter County Communications 911 Department. For the past 15 years he has been the Network Administrator for both agencies. He has been a Porter County resident for over 40 years.

He has successfully completed several computer related certification courses including document imaging administration certification. “In 2001 he initiated the implementation of a document imaging system for the Sheriff’s Department.” the statement said. “At that time the department needed to manage four basic types of paper documents; warrants, case reports, tickets and jail documentation. All were manual filing systems that were difficult to manage and were also consuming valuable office space.”

“The realization of our document imaging system,” Miller said, “allowed us to streamline time-intensive administrative tasks and helped prepare us for the future. I knew that if we could realize more efficiency in handling our records and reporting that our staff could devote more time to serving the people of Porter County. Better use of manpower; more for your tax dollars.”

“This use of sound fiscal policy ensured accountability to the public and maintained the department’s focus on directing resources to help county employees streamline existing workflow, reduce manual processes, and speed up the filing and retrieval of documents,” Miller said.

Miller has served as a Westchester precinct committeeman for over 15 years, currently serving in Precinct 15.

“Community service is a very important part of his life,” the statement said. “He serves as a trustee at his church, coach of his daughter’s Little League baseball team, and is very active in the Boy Scouts of America program as a local Troop unit leader and a District Committee member.”

Miller and his wife Joyce have been married 18 years and have two children.

He believes that the current office is well-managed with a great staff. “The Recorder’s office is known for their efficiency and their courtesy to the public,” Miller said. “As evidenced by his record, he believes in providing a positive public service by maintaining an efficient work environment for the staff,” the statement said. “He possesses the vision to continue providing services and information to the taxpayers. He will continue a responsibility to the taxpayers that he believes to be the bedrock of public service.”

“My goal is to always serve the public with honesty, integrity and commitment,” Miller said.

Posted 2/22/2010