The following candidate questionnaire was separately filled out by the three Republicans running for Newton County Circuit Court Clerk in the Aug. 3 primary election.
The winner of this race will face no party opposition in the November general election.
Responses are published here in alphabetical order by last name.
NDN: What are your qualifications for being Circuit Court Clerk?
KRUEGER: I have more than 15 years of service to the 40th Judicial Circuit in Newton County under the direct supervision of Circuit Judge Tim Perigo.
In my current position with the courts, I process and schedule all types of court cases on a daily basis, develop and maintain the budget for the circuit judge’s office and for court administration, keep the records for all bonding agents in Newton and McDonald counties and input time and attendance records for 24 Newton County Court employees. I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Missouri Southern State University and earned my certificate in court management from the Missouri Development Institute at Missouri State University in 2006.
TICHENOR: I am the only candidate that is a deputy circuit clerk and have been for nearly five years. I am in the 2011 graduating class of Missouri Southern State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration; professionally trained by the Office of the State Court Administrator; hands-on courtroom experience from case initiation to disposition; proficient in all justice operating systems; Highly efficient and accurate in all duties as deputy circuit clerk. I am also a lifetime resident of Newton County.
VANWINKLE: I have worked with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department for 25 years and for the last 20 years I have been the civil process server. In that job, I have served the paperwork that is generated from the circuit court clerk’s office. I am familiar with the court process and most of the paperwork that the office deals with. I have also worked as a manager of people, projects, tasks and time for about 30 years in my duties with the Sheriff’s Office, AutoZone, and restaurants.
NDN: Why do you want to be Circuit Court Clerk?
KRUEGER: I’m very passionate about the judicial system and Newton County, and feel blessed to have a job that I enjoy. About five years ago, I decided I wanted to take it a step further by earning my court management certificate and that’s when my “job” evolved into a career. Being elected as clerk of the circuit court is a logical way of enriching my career further and allowing me serve the people of Newton County in a larger capacity.
TICHENOR: I am currently a Deputy Circuit Clerk and I love every minute of it. It was a little over a year after becoming a clerk that I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in court administration. In order to reach my goal, I returned to school to receive my degree in Criminal Justice Administration. The decision to select a career path can be a difficult one. I knew that I had found my way when I stepped into the court system. I truly enjoy heading off to work every single day and I love working with and for the public. This is a very rare and wonderful accomplishment and I consider myself to be very blessed.
VANWINKLE: I feel with my work experiences and history that I have something to offer to the office of Circuit Court Clerk and to the people of Newton County.
NDN: In your own words, please describe the job duties and responsibilities of the Circuit Court Clerk.
KRUEGER: The responsibilities of the Clerk are set by several entities: Missouri State Statutes, the Missouri Supreme Court, Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA), and local court rules set forth by our presiding judge. The clerk’s main duty is to maintain and preserve all court records and filings including all civil and domestic cases, criminal cases, traffic violations, adoptions, juvenile and probate cases. The clerk establishes and manages a sizable budget for the courts, as well as collects and disburses all fees and cost from court cases. Passport applications are also accepted in the clerk’s office. There are also a number of administrative duties the clerk must perform, as there are 18 deputy clerks working in the circuit clerk’s office.
TICHENOR: The circuit clerk is responsible in handling and maintaining accurate records of the court. The clerk also files in and maintains all legal paperwork for court proceedings. The circuit clerk also collects and disburses all fines and costs along with all other monies paid into the court as ordered. He or she handles the job of selecting and summoning jurors and issuing process such as summons, executions, garnishments, judgments, orders and commitments. The clerk is responsible for preserving the court seal and performing other duties as necessary to assist the court in performing its duties.
VANWINKLE: The circuit clerk’s main duty is to maintain the court dockets and files. The officeholder also has to manage about 20 employees. The officeholder must collect fines, costs and judgments and then disperse them to the proper people or entity. The officeholder must assist a jury and prospective jurors.
NDN: Is there anything you would change or do different from what has been done by that office up to this point?
KRUEGER: I don’t think it’s wise to come into a new position and immediately implement changes. There is a certain transition period that must take place when a new office holder enters the picture. Peggy Spicer has done a remarkable job serving Newton County as Circuit Clerk and I am proud to have worked with her for her three terms. Different leaders do have different styles, however.
Myself, I am orientated to customer service, having worked as a district trainer for a major retail chain for nine years before I started with the courts. Not everyone who comes to court is happy to be there, as you can imagine.
Regardless of why they are there, or the situation, each customer deserves courteous, timely and efficient service. Period.
This small piece of advice was given to me on my very first day as a deputy clerk 15 years ago by Judge Greg Stremel and I have never forgotten it. Many Missouri courts have websites to help educate the public on certain court procedures such as small claims and jury duty or to answer frequently asked questions. I do believe Newton County could benefit from such. There are also resources available to the courts for collecting fees and costs and for clerk training. Not all of these methods are cost effective, in my opinion. But I would like to explore each one deeper to determine if Newton County could gain from any of them.
TICHENOR: I want to build onto the existing foundation of customer service that the office provides. No matter what circumstance may bring you into the office of the circuit clerk you will be treated with the utmost respect by a polite, friendly and professional staff. I plan to start building the courts of tomorrow, by ensuring the public’s access to the courts, building partnerships and enhancing judicial administration. I think it is important to support our judges and to assist them in getting cases disposed, working together on our time standards and case flow management. It would be a personal goal of mine to get more information available to the public and to make the courts more user friendly. The legal system can be difficult for those of us who work with it daily, so imagine how confusing it is for those who don’t. I also plan to make positive changes in debt collection to bring more revenue into Newton County.
VANWINKLE: If you help me to get elected, I would like to take a close look at the current methods of operation and see if there is any way that it could be done in different manner to streamline and possible expedite the job. With the current economy, the work load is only going to increase and any more help to do the job is not likely. I would like to better educate the public in the court process and possibly make their court visit a little less confusing and intimidating. I would want to work on the old cases and get the restitutions, fines and court costs collected to get the case disposed of.
NDN: Other than your qualifications already listed, what else sets you apart from the other candidates in this race?
KRUEGER: Being in the circuit judge’s office has given me the insight to all the areas of the courts, inside and out. I am familiar with the outside agencies that deal with the courts on a daily basis and have developed professional relationships the representatives. I have hundreds of hours in the courtroom, including jury trials, assisting many different judges. I have also assisted Presiding Judge Perigo on grand juries in both Newton and McDonald counties. I was very much involved with the training and admin-istrative paperwork when our courts consolidated and also when we became automated and adopted CaseNet. Newton County’s Treatment Courts are a big part of my daily routine. My court experience is not limited to Newton and McDonald Counties only. I have visited municipal courts in both counties offering assistance and reviewing reporting guidelines with the clerks since 2006. Since that time, all but two municipal courts in the circuit have been automated. To be elected and serve as your circuit clerk has been a career goal of mine for several years and I am prepared.
TICHENOR: My experience as a deputy circuit clerk far and away sets me apart from the other candidates. By knowing what it is like to be a clerk in today’s court system, I can better manage the clerks and have an inside look at what is working correctly and what needs to be changed in order to increase efficiency. Recently, I have accepted an invitation from the Office of the State Court Administrator to be on the faculty for the 2010-2011 Court Clerk College.
I am very excited and honored that they would select me to be a mentor to my fellow clerks across the State of Missouri. Along with having a specialized college degree in court administration, working hands-on as a deputy circuit clerk has provided me with a unique education in the court system and the needs of the public.
I look forward to serving you as your next Circuit Clerk.
VANWINKLE: I am dedicated to the people of Newton County. I have talked with the citizens of Newton County and believe that I have an understanding of their concerns, worries and insecurities in dealing with the court system. If you will assist me in getting elected on Aug. 3, I will work to meet the goals that I have mentioned and hopefully make your next experience as pleasant as possible.
