To most people, this may be nothing but a sign. It’s nothing but a plastic board with letters. However, the words written on this board display my lifelong goal of one day being your Circuit Clerk. This sign represents over 15 years of dedicated service to the people of Clarke County.
It reminds me of two people in love, nervous and scared while applying for a marriage license or an 18-year-old registering to vote in their first election. It reminds me of a mother who forgot to have a paper notarized for her child to take the ACT at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning.
From happy times to more serious times, this sign also represents a family dealing with having to bond someone from jail. It represents the importance of having someone to talk to, having someone who can answer questions about the formalities of Circuit Court and being sentenced by a Judge.
It means countless hours spent in courtrooms choosing a jury for a trial, listening to prosecuting and defense attorneys and testimony from common citizens and law enforcement officers.
This sign is also a symbol of people who come in to pay fines each month who are greeted with a smile because every person is somebody.
It also reminds me of family and the years of record-keeping for families to research old marriage records – dating back to 1853 and old felony court cases as early as the 1900s.
It represents the experience gained in transitioning to a new computer system; the hours of training to determine district lines for Supervisor District, School Board, Justice Court Judge/Constable, House and Senate District. It is learning the system to prepare poll books for elections and transmission of election information to the state. It is understanding the importance of keeping voter records up to date. It is the experience of seeing the addition of City of Quitman ward lines and Town of Stonewall, Town of Enterprise, Village of Pachuta and Town of Shubuta city lines which aid in printing poll books for municipal elections.
It also represents long hours on election days anxiously awaiting election results, and then sending those results to the Secretary of State.
This sign represents hours that are not always 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. but possibly 7 a.m. on Saturday or 8:00 p.m. on a Tuesday night.
These letters---this black and white sign---they are my true passion. God blessed me with this job over 15 years ago and my hope is to continue to serve each of you. This sign represents experience.
PPA
