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Thursday, October 19, 2006
Ind. Courts - Race for Porter County clerk
This story by Bob Kasarda today in the Munster (NW Indiana) Times is particularly interesting in its listing of the plans of each of the candidates, if elected:
VALPARAISO | The race for Porter County clerk is not loaded with the hot-button issues facing other candidates this election season.But the winner will oversee a staff of 40 full-time employees, who issue every marriage license, file each court case and handle all traffic tickets in the county, in addition to processing child support payments.
Candidates Jan Dick, a Republican, and Pamela Mishler Fish, a Democrat, both believe they have the business background necessary to take the reins from Clerk Dale Brewer, a Republican who is prevented by law from seeking a third term. The office pays $52,180 a year.
Dick, 59, who is currently a member of the Valparaiso City Council, said his business background includes 32 years as a supervisor at the former Bethlehem Steel Co.
He said he decided to run for clerk after being approached by party officials.
Fish, 45, who just completed a term on the Union Township School Board, said she has owned and operated her own environmental consulting firm for the past 15 years.
She said she gained interest in the clerk's post from her mother, who worked several years for the past two clerks.
Fish intends to provide greater access to the clerk's office by staggering employee lunches and doing away with the practice of closing over the noon hour. This will bring it in line with clerk's offices in neighboring Lake and LaPorte counties, and eliminate the hardship posed for the public and law offices, she said.
She also intends to use her campaign Web site to provide information about the office and as a way to be contacted by e-mail.
Dick lauded Brewer's efforts to modernize the office and increase access by installing public computer terminals. He intends to continue that effort and said he has no problem asking the county council for the necessary funding.
He also intends to continue the push to make polling places more accessible to the disabled.
"It is critical we do not disenfranchise anyone who can legally vote," he said.
Fish also mentioned improving accessibility at the polls, in addition to periodically evaluating efficiency in the office and adjusting assignments where necessary to balance work loads.
"This is a business," she said. "We're there to serve the public."
With that in mind, Fish said she intends to look into using her staff to assist child-support recipients in dealing with officials in Indianapolis.
"With new administrations, come new ideas," she said.
Dick said he plans to address the problems associated with storing paper records by having more documents copied on electronic storage.
He is also concerned about the lack of storage space and maintenance for the county's new voting equipment. He proposes storing the electronic portion of the equipment in the same room where they can be plugged in periodically as required.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on October 19, 2006 08:31 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts