County clerk's office gets 2012 National Achievement Award

The Collin County Clerk's office this week received the 2012 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties for developing and operating an online program for the renewing of marks, brands and tattoos of animals.

County Clerk Stacey Kemp said members of the county clerk's office and Information Technology (IT) Department worked together to develop a program through which livestock owners and agents can renew their livestock marks online via an electronic application.

She said state Rep. Ken Paxton was successful in getting legislation changed to allow the livestock marks to be renewed online.

"This was the first time in Texas history for livestock owners and agents to be able to renew their livestock marks using a new, electronic online application," Kemp said.

She said county clerk's office and IT office employees received the national recognition because of two accomplishments.

"First, they imaged the brand book and published it online for access 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said. "Previously, if someone needed to research a brand, they had to visit the county clerk's office in McKinney to see the brand book."

"Second," she added, "they worked together to design, create and implement a completely automated application for registering livestock marks, brands and tattoos online. The reason for this implementation was the need to change a process that had largely not gone unchanged since 1869."

State law requires all livestock owners to mark their animals with an ear mark, brand or tattoo and register them with the county clerk in the county in which the animals reside.

"The previous process was an old and antiquated time and labor intensive process," Kemp said. "With this being implemented, Texas ranchers and farmers now have a more efficient and accessible process."

The new process eliminates the need for a farmer or rancher to make a trip to the clerk's office.

"Marks, brands and tattoos that had been previously registered are available online for the owner to simply sign in, select their mark, brand and/or tattoo and pay the fee," Kemp said.

Applications for new registrations can also be completed online. However, the owner must visit the county clerk's office in order for it to be verified that the mark, brand or tattoo is not already taken.

Kemp praised members of the county clerk's office and IT department for working together to make this service available to farmers and ranchers.

"This is a great example of how we stay on the leading edge of technology and efficiently streamline services to make it more user friendly for county residents to get what they need from local government," she said. "It's great to see the team effort from the departments involved, and the folks who helped make this program successful to get well-earned praise for all their hard work. Also this was implemented at no additional cost to the taxpayer."

She added, "This award was in recognition of an effective and innovative program which contributes to and enhances county government in the United States. National Association of Counties recognized that Collin County worked diligently to promote quality, efficient, and responsive management and administration."

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