Same face, same race?



For eight years, Stacy Atkison was the elected recorder of deeds for Webster County.

During his two-term tenure from 2002 to 2010, Atkison led the charge to upgrade the county’s software and technology in the recorder’s office, making Webster County just the fourth county in Missouri to offer e-recording services.

“When I was the county recorder, I felt we had the best office in the state,” he said.

With the county recorder’s office soon to be vacant with the retirement of incumbent Gary Don Letterman, R-Niangua, at the end of his third term this Dec. 31, Atkison wants to return to his roots, so to speak.

“I’m running (for the office) now because I’ve learned a lot over the past 12 years and can bring that knowledge back to Webster County in an office that currently functions very well,” he explained. “Gary Don’s been an excellent recorder. And I feel that I was an excellent recorder.

“Now, I feel that I can be an outstanding recorder, as I can use the knowledge I’ve learned since 2010 to make the office that much better.”

Over the past 12 years, Atkison has been a senior account manager for iCounty Technologies, based in Blue Springs. In his position, he sold software for recorder of deeds offices
throughout Missouri, as well as Arkansas and Kansas.

The state of Missouri has 114 counties.

The 54-year-old Atkison, a Republican from Marshfield, has done business through iCounty Technologies with almost 100 of those counties.

“When I started in 2011, there were six counties doing business with iCounty, and there were 20 total counties that were using e-recording,” he noted. “Now, there are roughly 100 counties in Missouri that use e-recording. Of those, I’ve been involved with nearly every one of them.”

He said that experience translates into benefitting Webster County’s recorder of deeds office, should he be re-elected as the recorder.

“I’m excited,” Atkison said. “Webster County always has been home. While I’ve worked for iCounty, I always have lived here, raised my family here.

“And the timing seems right to return to public service. If the people elect me again as recorder, I can bring 20 years of experience in the door from day one.”

He and his wife, Kim, have five children and reside in rural Webster County. Their youngest two kids, twins, are juniors in high school.

“Kim’s been my wife for more than 31 years, and she’s supportive of me returning to elected office, and all my kids feel the same way,” Atkison said. “As I’ve said before, it really does feel like coming home. For example, I’ve got a professional history with several county officeholders, such as (Sheriff) Roye Cole, (Presiding Commissioner) Paul Ipock and (County Clerk) Stan Whitehurst.

“I know the job. I understand the details of the job and especially the technology component of it.”

And the people?

“That’s what I’ve missed the most ... interacting every day with the people of Webster County,” Atkison concluded.

“I think one thing that people will consistently say about me is that I’m a people person. I like people. I need people. Above that, I enjoy helping people, and I feel that my track record in the office in the past was a very good one.”

Filing for county offices for the 2022 election cycle opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in Whitehurst’s office on the first floor of the Webster County Courthouse in Marshfield.

Filing remains open until 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 29.

“I’ll likely have an opponent, and that’s okay,” Atkison said with a smile. “Whether I do or not, I’ll be all over the county during the campaign, just as I was before, letting people know I’m ready to hit the ground running as their new Webster County recorder.”