Mitchell receives County Recorder appointment

With one month of training under her belt, Kelly Mitchell was already hitting the ground running last week, fresh off her appointment as Adair County’s next Recorder.

Mitchell, a Greenfield native, began Feb. 1 in preparation for Janelle Schneider’s March 5 retirement.

Her biggest experience for the job came when Mitchell spent 16 years with the Adair County Abstract Company. For a portion of that time, she served as manager. Following that, she worked another job in the city.

“I’m familiar with the real estate part, bringing things over and having them record things. I feel pretty comfortable with all the legal descriptions and transactions they do,” Mitchell said. “When I worked in Des Moines, I felt this was a good time to get back to Adair County and be involved in more things I had missed out on.”

So far, Mitchell expressed excitement for her new position and explained that training has gone well.

“There’s always more to it than you think, but it’s all good. You have to have a knowledge of everything that goes on in the office and how to do all the different things,” Mitchell said, adding she’s going to the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) Spring Conference this week, along with other county officials, where she will be able to pick up even more knowledge. In the summertime is a conference exclusively for county recorders.

Mitchell hopes to make sure the recorders office continues running smoothly. She said staff members Mandy Dolan and Joni Raper have each been helpful as she’s learned the ropes.

“I just plan to keep on top of things, keep things modernized and keep up with the times,” Mitchell said. “I’m looking forward to serving all the people of Adair County and am glad to be here.”

Janelle Schneider retired March 5 after 38 years working in the Adair County Courthouse, with 21 years logged as County Recorder.

In a statement to the media announcing her retirement, Schneider said she felt one of her office’s greatest accomplishments was all they did to bring various records into the modern era through the use of a new Iowa Land Records website in 2005, which is a resource that has only blossomed since its inception.

Schneider also expressed great confidence in Dolan and Raper for their 31 years of combined experience and their ability to be a resource to the next County Recorder.

Mitchell will have opportunity to run for election as County Recorder in the June primary election.