Nov 2, 2017 4 min read

James Roman, a Peters Township Republican, hopes to oust a five-term Democratic incumbent from the Washington County recorder of deeds row office.

Roman, who holds a real estate license from the state Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, is making his first run for public office. He faces Democrat Debbie Bardella of Speers.

Roman said, if elected, he wants to increase community outreach, institute a flat filing fee, improve residents’ web access to Washington County property records and return deeds to property owners within two weeks.

He said people participating in most property closings are warned to disregard mailings about paying additional, high costs to receive a copy of a deed, and brought up the case of a client who had received such a letter, blaming it on delay in receiving a deed.

Bardella said these mailings, about which she has warned the public, are sent randomly by third parties, and anyone who wants a deed recorded during an “instant” process in her office can obtain it for $2.

Washington County property records can be viewed online, but Bardella said the state sets a 50-cent-per-page fee to print.

As to the flat fee when recording a deed, Bardella said Allegheny County, classified as a second-class county by the state, is permitted to implement it. The state is now doing a study on this issue, but fourth-class counties, including Washington, are not permitted to do so unless the state changes the law.

An anonymous mailed dossier appeared last week at the Observer-Reporter and other newspapers. One of the documents dealt with a case that involved Roman and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which, according to its online statement, is not part of the government, but a not-for-profit organization authorized by Congress to protect America’s investors by making sure the broker-dealer industry operates fairly and honestly.

The agency, as part of a finding, alleged Roman, while working in Texas, did not respond to its inquiries and failed to provide documents and information. He was found to be in default and was listed in 2012 as “permanently barred” as a financial adviser.

“Zero people lost money or brought a lawsuit of any kind,” Roman wrote in an email. “At one point, I was a licensed financial adviser. When I got into real estate, I sent an email advertisement to a former client that FINRA felt was not sufficient and because I didn’t object, by default, they took my license. Again, zero people were hurt, and there was no fraudulent scheme.”

Also, while a resident of Frisco, Texas, Roman was charged with criminal trespass in Denton County. The charge, a misdemeanor, was dismissed.

“I have no criminal convictions, period,” Roman responded. “I had a domestic dispute with an ex, and the charge was dismissed. Again, I have never been convicted of a crime.” He provided a copy of a Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check that confirms he has no criminal record here.

Bardella said more than $26 million a year is remitted to the row office in the form of real estate transfer taxes, which distributes the revenue to municipalities, school districts, the county and the state. The latter two entities regularly audit the office.

During the term she is completing, Bardella was sued several times over her insistence that deed transfers include the name of individuals and trustees rather than trusts for the purpose of accountability and establishing clear title.

Bardella leads a staff of seven in the recorder of deeds office. Electronic recordings now make up 70 percent of the deed work.

De-acidification of property-related documents dating back to the county’s formation in 1781 is being handled on a 10-books-per-year contract with a preservationist.

“Honestly, we’re probably very close to being done with that,” Bardella said of the multi-year project.

The recorder is also a filing office for the safekeeping of military discharge records, which are off-limits to the public for 75 years; and mineral leases, including gas and oil, but not remuneration.

Bardella also holds, without additional compensation, an additional position as director of revenue, to which the county commissioners appointed her. The revenue department includes the tax assessment office and tax claim bureau.

“I’m only running for recorder,” she said.

Roman said he is not in favor of having the recorder hold the additional post.

Recorder of Deeds

Term: 4 years

Salary: $82,775

Democrat

Debbie Bardella

Age: 62

Residence: Speers

Education: Graduate, Avella High School

Occupation: Washington County recorder of deeds

Republican

James Roman

Age: 46

Residence: Peters Township

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Pittsburgh; Master’s degree, Duquesne University; MBA, Point Park University; working on a PhD at the University of Pittsburgh.

Occupation: Real estate salesperson