For the first time in two decades, the Lawrence County Recorder’s Office had a new face sworn in on Monday.

Lori Morris won the election for the recorder’s office, which has been held by Sharon Gossett Hager since she was appointed in 2004.

Hager announced in 2020 that it would be the last time she would run for the office.

She spoke briefly to the crowd before the swearing in.

“Lori, I told you before, I couldn’t have turned it over to anybody else I would rather have in here,” she said. “I hope her journey is as good to her as mine has been for me.”

Hager said the whole recorder staff was continuing on with Morris.

“I am just really excited to see what she brings to the office,” she said.

Ironton Municipal Judge Kevin Waldo conducted the oath of office for Morris.

He remarked that he has been an attorney since 1980 and a whole lot of the work he did was centered around the recorder’s office.

“Probably no attorney in the last 45 years has been in the recorder’s office as much as I have,” he said. “They’ve been like a family all through the years and I know that will continue.”

Waldo said that there is a lot of responsibility in the recorder’s office since it keeps track of property deeds, mortgages, liens, land transfers and more.

Morris said it was a privilege to be the Lawrence County recorder.

“Like Kevin said, the recorder’s office is the keeper of records for everyone’s property, their prized possession,” she said. “I will do my job to the best of my ability and thank you for giving the opportunity.”

She thanked Gossett Hager and the staff for their help during the transition.

“I couldn’t have a better staff,” she said. “And as Sharon and previous recorders have always said ‘We are here to do good deeds daily.’”