CASSOPOLIS — Texan Patrick Jordan, 45, wouldn’t mind getting back to his Michigan roots.

Jordan is vital records department manager for the Tarrant County Clerk in Fort Worth, Texas, and the former supervisor of Muskegon Charter Township.

Jordan, who has been married almost 18 years, has two sons, a 26-year-old and a 10-year-old fifth grader at home in Texas who is excited by the prospect of moving to Michigan, where his cousins live.

Their older son lives in Muskegon and is expecting their third grandchild.
Jordan earned a master’s degree in public administration from Western Michigan University.

“I believe I have a lot to offer this county,” he said.

“I’m long-term minded.”

He has had lunch with Dave Rusk, former Albuquerque, N.M, mayor and former Secretary of State Dean Rusk’s son.

“He is an agent of consolidation who goes around the country talking about it,” Jordan said. “In Michigan, the way our government is structured, with townships especially, it gets in the way of development. Until something else changes constitutionally way down the road, we’ve done a lot of consolidation. We’ve done municipal water. I was involved in the first multi-jurisdictional planning commission with my township and four other townships. Cooperative planning for an entire corridor in Muskegon County. We almost got the city involved, which would have been a great thing. The township boards had to turn over some of their authority, and they were apprehensive about that. It was a step in the right direction. I think we’ll see more of that.”

When Jordan began in vital records for Tarrant County, population 1.7 million, “It was basically a small office. In Texas, the county clerk isn’t the end-all for birth and death records. Each city has the right to maintain their own records if they choose, which makes it very confusing for folks knowing where to go get their records. The city of Fort Worth makes up 80 percent of Tarrant County. Arlington takes up 10 percent. Fort Worth closed down its vital records operation and turned it over to the county. The county clerk asked me what I thought and I said, ‘Let’s go for it.’ It tripled the volume my office handles,” but also boosted revenue.

“We really put together a very efficient operation.”

His office is in downtown Fort Worth, which outlying customers don’t like to visit because of congestion, confusing one-way streets and paid parking.

There are six “sub-courthouses” scattered about the county it would take 150 miles to drive the circuit.

Texas doesn’t redraw county commission districts every 10 years.
There’s one county judge elected countywide and four commissioners elected from precincts and that’s it,” he said. “I set out to take that (Fort Worth) film and get it into our imaging system. We’re through 2003 now so people can go to their sub-courthouses and get records. Feedback from that has been incredible and there have been a couple of write-ups in the paper about it. We did it in the name of customer service.”

When Jordan, who has been in Texas 2 1/2 years, became charter township supervisor, he immediately needed a Level III assessor. “I have a lot of faith in my ability to choose the right people, who turn out to be fantastic employees,” he said. “Keeping employees is not always about money. It’s about how people are treated and respected and backed up when they make a decision with their staff.”

Jordan’s management philosophy and leadership style is “to keep myself educated and abreast of situations and the latest developments because the last thing any of you want is to be broadsided by something and have it end up in the paper. It’s my job to help educate you. Respect and humility are underrated. With my department heads, I respect the job that they do. I’m not an expert in all areas. I expect them to be and to do what needs to be done in their departments to run them efficiently.”

His first six to 12 months on the job, Jordan said, “I’d immerse myself in the budget, which I gather is very healthy compared to others. I’ve looked at your revenue sharing picture online and it appears to be flat — small increases, but not enough to keep up with inflation.

And getting to know department heads and building relationships with personnel and community stakeholders. That’s very important. I’m very careful with the media.

“Be careful of the promises you make, whoever you’re dealing with, whether it’s the business community, economic development or personnel, and follow up. When it comes to growth and development, you’re never going to make everyone happy. Half the people are going to be happy and half are going to be upset with zoning changes and development going in. But growth and change are going to happen. It’s inevitable, but don’t forget you’re dealing with people with a stake in the community.”