A minute with… LeNora Y. Fulton

A minute with… LeNora Y. Fulton, Apache County, Ariz., Recorder. Fulton is a member of the Navajo Nation. Fulton served the Navajo Nation government in several capacities including: assistant director, Community Health Program; director of the Youth Prevention of Substance Abuse Program; director of the Women, Infant & Children Program; deputy director, Division of Health and deputy director, Department of Behavioral Health. Fulton also served as an elected official: secretary/treasurer, Fort Defiance Chapter; board member, Navajo Board of Election Supervisors and vice chairperson of the Government Service Committee. She will be serving a third term as the County Recorder.

Do you have any personal, proven methods for approaching municipal challenges?

Yes, first is to remain calm in all situations, and believe that all things will be resolved. Always strive to be prepared by studying the facts, using the statutes as a guide, and communicate with the County Attorney.
One way in which you’d change the world, if you could?

One way, is to be honest, pray, stay within my principles of living a good life, take time to work with those who do not have opportunities, and to work with the youth and young adults. If I can instill in the youth/young adults the ethics of good work habits, being honest and caring for their fellow man, then I think this will make a ripple to making a positive change in the world. Sometimes, it only takes one person to be a catalyst for positive change, and I strive to be a part of that group on a daily basis.

Name three projects of which you are most proud.

1) The Street File/Voter Validation Project: The development of a uniform voter registration within the state of Arizona occurred in 2006 and included all 15 counties. During the conversion of the Apache County voter registration data, the physical address of 33,000 Apache County voters did not fill into the standard address field. The physical addresses for these voters were more descriptive in nature and were classified as non-standard physical addresses. The problem of converting a non-standard address into the standard address field required the development of a [specialized] software. With the assistance of the Arizona Secretary of State and a consultant, the software was developed.

2) The Primary Election Date Consolidation Project: … The Navajo Nation, as a sovereign nation, has historically maintained its own election processes and dates … In 2010, Arizona changed its primary election that is held in September to the latter part of August, which is three weeks after the Navajo Nation’s primary election date. The closeness of the primary election dates … caused much confusion … After working several years with much debate and discussion with tribal entities, the Navajo Nation Council amended its laws to coincide their Primary election date with Arizona’s Primary election date. I am very pleased to have been a part of this process.

3) The Back-Scanning Project: Since the early 1800s, the Apache County Recorder’s Office has been recording all forms of documents, maps and surveys and has stored the original documents or copies of original documents … in several rooms including the basement of the county building. In 2001, the County Recorder’s Office contracted with Saul’s Creek Engineering, which enabled the office to scan the recorded documents from 2001 and forward and enter the data into a … recorder software with a 10-day turnaround.This process was efficient, and no documents were retained except the maps and surveys, which were stored in a large metal cabinet … [M]aps and surveys are now recorded, the originals are returned to the originator, and the office no longer retains hard copies.

One fact about you people might be surprised to learn?
I have six children and also provided a home to other children from time to time, and I am now helping my son raise my four grandchildren. Also that I had played the violin, piano, love to sing, and I am a huge Michael Jackson fan!

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