Katie Pecarchik says she knows how the Register of Wills Office is supposed to run.

Pecarchik worked for two decades as a clerk in the office before she retired last summer. The office records adoptions, files wills and estates and issues marriage licenses.

She now has the title of acting register, taking over from three-term Republican Sherry Magretti Hamilton, who resigned this month. The office had been beset with filing delays, backlogs and staffing shortages officials blamed on Hamilton’s mismanagement.

On Monday, Pecarchik, 56, of Hempfield officially was sworn in as acting register of wills, two weeks after she took over control of the office when Hamilton’s resignation Sept. 3 became official.

“My plan is to be here every day at work and to bring back integrity to the office. Right now, our main goal is still training staff, and we are getting paperwork out in time and getting checks to the county on time,” Pecarchik said.

She was a longtime Democrat when she ran against Hamilton in 2019 and changed her party registration to Republican this year. She will serve as acting register of wills until a permanent replacement is nominated by Gov. Josh Shapiro and confirmed by the state Senate.

The term expires at the end of 2027.

Hamilton, who was unopposed in last year’s election and started her third term in office in January, came under fire after it was disclosed the office had fallen months behind in the processing of adoption certificates for families and the filing of appeals on estate issues. Two court orders were issued requiring the office to meet specific work goals.

Hamilton was found in contempt of court for violations of the court orders as backlogs persisted. She was stripped of authority to run the office, and Greensburg lawyer Jim Antoniono was appointed to serve as conservator for the register of wills operation.

In June, just before a scheduled hearing in which Hamilton faced a potential jail sentence, she agreed to resign by year’s end and pay a $10,000 fine in return for the contempt of court finding to be reclassified as a civil judgment rather than a criminal conviction.

Among Antoniono’s first actions as conservator was the hiring of Pecarchik to serve as first deputy, which put her in line to replace Hamilton as the register of wills.

Common Pleas Judge Harry Smail Jr. on Monday removed Antoniono as conservator.

“I felt it was time, and the authority should rest with the acting register and stop further expenditures to pay for the conservator who is no longer needed,” Smail said.

Antoniono has been paid $17,000 since May for his work as conservator. County officials are awaiting his final bills.

“It was challenging, and I think having Katie in charge, she will move the office forward. She knows the office and knows how to run it, so I am no longer needed to be here,” Antoniono said.

Pecarchik will receive the same annual salary as Hamilton, $89,274.

The office is fully staffed. Seven new employees have been hired in the past year, and the turmoil that has plagued the office over the past several years finally has abated, she said.

“We are not starting from scratch, but every day is new learning. We’re going to continue training and will cross-train the entire staff so this will never happen again,” Pecarchik said.

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