Warren County Circuit Court Clerk’s office receives record preservation grant

Clerk of Court Daryl Funk displays Deed Book 5, which contains all Warren County deeds and other records dating back to 1901. /Courtesy photos

FRONT ROYAL, VA  – The Warren County Circuit Court Clerk’s office has received a Circuit Court Records Preservation (CCRP) grant, according to Daryl L. Funk, Clerk of Court.

He said the grant, in the amount of $2,463.50, will be used to preserve Deed Book 5, which contains all Warren County deeds and other important records related to real property from the year 1901.

As part of this grant, Deed Book 5 has received treatment in the latest preservation techniques and has been stored in an electronic format.

Mr Funk stated, “One of the Clerk’s foremost responsibilities is to ensure that the record of legal proceedings in Warren County is maintained for posterity. I take this duty seriously, and this grant will ensure that a small piece of our heritage is available to future generations.”

The General Assembly amended the Code of Virginia in 1990 to fund preservation of permanent circuit court records. The grants are administered by the Library of Virginia in cooperation with the Virginia Circuit Court Clerks Association. In 2016, 80 applications were submitted by 79 localities, a record, which resulted in a competitive atmosphere.

Funk added, “While I am pleased with this success, my office is looking forward. We have already submitted the application for the 2017 grant cycle. After a careful review of the office’s historic records, my top priorities this year are the preservation of Minute Book A—containing the events of the first meeting of the Commissioners appointed by the Governor after the creation of Warren County in 1836—and a map detailing the properties seized to create the Shenandoah National Park in this county.”

Applications completed by Clerks from around Virginia are forwarded to the Circuit Court Records Preservation Grants Review Board for evaluation based on merit and need. The board is comprised of at least three circuit court clerks, the State Archivist and the Government Records Services Division Director. Funds received are processed through the Warren County Finance Department.

Funk was elected to the constitutional office in Nov. 2015. He announced his intent to run after longtime Clerk of Court Jennifer Sims announced her retirement; she promptly endorsed him.

He said upon taking office that amongst his goals was to continue the quality customer service that Ms. Sims had provided. He said he also planned to keep the budget down while implementing technological changes that would provide easier access to the circuit court and to records.