Two people, William O’Donnell and Noel DiBona, are running for Register of Deeds in Norfolk County, which includes Brookline.
The Registry of Deeds handles hundreds of thousands of land use documents a year, and calls itself a “basic resource for title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities, attorneys, engineers, real estate brokers, home appraisers, homeowners, and others with a need for secure, accurate, and accessible land record information.”
The Register of Deeds leads the office, and is elected to a six-year term. Incumbent William O’Donnell has been in the position for 20 years, and is being challenged in a primary for the first time since, by Noel DiBona, a Quincy city councilor who formerly worked at the registry.
Brookline.News reached out to both candidates and asked them to answer several questions about their candidacy.
William O’Donnell
Please provide a brief bio.
Register of Deeds Bill O’Donnell is a lifelong resident of Norfolk County.
He is a graduate of Xaverian High School, Georgetown University B.A. Economics, and Boston College Law School. He is a former Norfolk County Assistant District Attorney who later established his own law office. Bill was elected Norfolk County Commissioner 1992. He was appointed Register of Deeds in 2002 and reelected three times. He was President of the Register of Deeds Association from 2007-2009 and awarded “Register of the Year” 3 times. He was named “County Register of the Year” and served as President of the Norfolk County Bar Association from 2006 to 2007. Bill lives in Norwood with his wife Susan who grew up in Brookline and attended Brookline High School. They are the parents of three adult children.
Why are you running for Norfolk Register of Deeds?
I am seeking reelection because I am committed to continue the modernization, sound management and reliable service to the residents and businesses of Norfolk County. I became Register of Deeds to do a professional job on behalf of Norfolk County residents. I have been independent in fulfilling my fiduciary responsibilities, protecting home and property owner records, combating fraud and scams and bringing the Registry into the 21st Century. I want to maintain those professional standards and build on our proven accomplishments.
What makes you stand out from your opponent?
My administrative and budgetary experience, legal background, and proven ability to implement modernization initiatives combine to make me most qualified to lead the Registry of Deeds operations. Since 2002, we have made significant progress to make the Norfolk Registry of Deeds the gold standard in Registries, which include: substantial improvement in the Registry’s computer capabilities and technology with new systems and equipment, quadrupling the number of public access terminals at the Registry, reduced backlogs and waiting times, creating a customer service center, improved data security and disaster recovery plans, expanded public areas dedicated to closing land transactions, redesigned the Registry’s website, www.norfolkdeeds.org, introducing online internet accessible land records and title research, Implementing electronic recording of documents and real estate transactions in Norfolk County, secured passage of legislation that protects the homeowner and gives certainty to the title of one’s home, provided foreclosure assistance and counseling services to struggling homeowners, initiated a Community Outreach Program, instituted a free Consumer Notification Property Anti-Fraud Program, transcribed handwritten Registry documents recorded from 1793 to 1900, and kept Registry operational everyday during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is your top policy or procedural priority if elected?
If reelected, my top priority will be continued expansion of our modernization efforts to advance security, accuracy and accessibility for our communities’ land records both in person and on-line, and reliable service to the residents of Norfolk County.
Noel DiBona
Please provide a brief bio.
I was first elected to the Quincy School Committee in 2013 and currently a Quincy Councilor at-Large since 2016 (Council President 2022-2023). I worked as the Director of Administrative Services at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds from 2021-2024. I worked as Senior Community Service Coordinator at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office from 2016-2020. I operated a small business for 26 years. I am married to my wife Niamh and have three children Tyler 11, Aidan 9 and Nora 8. I’m proudly endorsed by two of the three elected County Commissioners, Joseph Shea & Peter Collins. I was the first minority to be elected to office in Quincy, with your Vote on Sept. 3rd, we can make history as the first minority Norfolk County elected official.
Why are you running for Norfolk Register of Deeds?
The most important challenges that face the Register of Deeds is transparency. The current Register is suing the 3 County Commissioners, County Director and 28 Advisory Board Members. Essentially, he is suing the Advisory Board representative from your town. Your taxpayer money is being spent on legal fees incurred from the current Register. The current Register will not take the recommendations of the 3rd party Audit/Consultant of the Abrahams Group and Ripples Report. Another challenge is there was a fire at the Registry of Deeds in February 2021. The Information Technology infrastructure needs to be modernized and upgraded to protect important documents from a situation like a fire that did occur or water damage due to flooding.
What makes you stand out from your opponent?
(No answer provided.)
What is your top policy or procedural priority if elected?
If elected, I would take the recommendations from the Abrahams Group and Ripples Report. I will work with county government and the IT Department to install proper software upgrades and modernization of the IT infrastructure. I would find alternatives other than backing up information on an old MicroFilm system that is almost obsolete. If elected, I would install and allow credit card transactions as a form of payment. Under the current Register, customers can only use cash or check. If elected, I would increase accessibility with satellite offices throughout the county. If elected, I would treat employees and customers with the utmost respect.