Bristol Virginia voters face choice for Circuit Court Clerk

For the first time in more than 40 years, city voters will select between two candidates for the post of Circuit Court Clerk.

Incumbent Terry Rohr is seeking her second eight-year term in the Nov. 8 election and faces a challenge from David Leonard, a long-time Twin City real estate appraiser. The clerk’s race is nonpartisan, so neither candidate is listed on the ballot by party affiliation.

However, the Bristol Virginia Democratic Committee, which is sponsoring a meet the candidate night Nov. 1 at Java J’s, has endorsed Rohr. Leonard has declined to attend the event.

Traditionally, the clerk’s seat also been unopposed on the ballot, with either the incumbent running or a long-time deputy clerk the sole candidate.

"The history of the office was, you started at ground-level and worked your way up," Rohr said. "Then, when someone retired, someone within the office took over. When Mabel [former Clerk Lamie] planned to retire, no one else wanted to step up so I took the steps necessary to plan to step up."

A deputy clerk for 22 years, the 52-year-old Rohr said she is running because she enjoys the myriad challenges of the office.

"I am too young to retire and I still love my job," Rohr said.

While she would reach the 30-year mark in 2012 required for full retirement benefits under the state system, Rohr said she has "zero plans" to retire.

"It’s a stressful job. It’s not easy but we cross-train in most areas. But even the deputies have challenges every day," Rohr said. "You have to have a love for the office and a passion for it. The history of this office has such a legacy – established long before me – of professionalism, accuracy and caring about people that come in. We are public servants and that’s what we’re here to do and give them what they need."

Leonard hopes to bring a new perspective to the office because he believes it is behind the technology curve.

"When you do business the same way, with the same people, day in and day out, it’s hard to come up with a new perspective," Leonard said. "I’m looking at this office as a user. I go to courthouses three or four times a week, see what different courthouses offer and wonder why ours doesn’t offer the same thing. There’s a lot of things going on with computer technology that we’re lagging behind on.

"I think this office needs to have someone come in who’s accustomed to doing business in courthouses to say why can’t we do this because Wise County does it or Lee County does this, and we’re not doing it?"

Rohr said the clerk’s office has phased in technology and more is on the horizon.

"I’d like to build on the technology," Rohr said. "I’m not the most technology-oriented person but everything we have stems from the [Virginia] Supreme Court. I feel like there are more areas we need to pursue. We do offer secure remote access for certain records. They [Supreme Court] are talking about e-filing and that is in the future. Our case management program just went to a new program last year and they’re talking about taking our financial program to something similar."

The primary function of the clerk’s office is keeping the local court system on track, which represents about 60 percent of the workload. However, the office also serves as a records repository for property transfers, deeds, mortgages, marriage and divorce records, bankruptcy judgments, wage garnishments, probates wills, weapon permits and notary paperwork from within the city’s borders. It also preserves all of the city’s historic records dating back to 1890. For managing the office, the clerk earns about $90,000 a year.

"This office is paperwork, pure and simple, even with computers it’s still paperwork," Rohr said.

From court orders, judgments and subpoenas, each step of the city’s criminal and civil caseload is required to have a paper trail, up to and including appeals.

"Juries are also a big part of it," Rohr said. "The grand jury meets four times a year and I’m responsible for all the indictments returned by the grand jury. We also have a petit jury. We’ll have jury commissioners pick 900 jurors each year and four times a year we’ll pull out about 200, send out subpoenas and work to see who is qualified and work to schedule jurors."

Leonard said he doesn’t know "much at all" about the office’s judicial functions, but doesn’t view that as a deterrent.

"I’ve talked with the ladies working there now and a lady who used to work there, that I know. So I don’t think that will be something I can’t learn," Leonard said. "The state offers classes to new clerks. If that position is an elected position and the qualifications are no more than they are then evidently the commonwealth thinks it’s a learnable position. With my knowledge of the side I’m most familiar with, I’ll spend what time is needed over there and [rely on] the educational opportunities that are offered to bring me up to speed on the other [court] side."

A different change is already on the horizon, as the city can expect a new Circuit Court judge to be appointed in 2012, Rohr said.

"We have a new judge coming next year. Judge [Larry] Kirksey has announced his plans to retire and his term ends next March," Rohr said. "So I want to stay to help a new judge navigate new territory. Judge Kirksey has been great to work with and he will be missed; but change will be exciting."

Leonard considers the courthouse and its constitutional officers as the face of the city.

"If people come in and our systems aren’t progressive and we’re not up to date, it puts us in a bad light. Whether I’m elected or Terry’s elected, I think we need to move forward," Leonard said, adding that improved technology might help reduce operating costs.

Leonard said he also wants to explore establishing an intern program, using college students enrolled in area paralegal or related programs or from the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy to handle some of the workload.

"I just think it needs some change. We need to be more innovative and I know everybody’s short on money," Leonard said. "This is not a political thing. I’m interested in keeping the people there that want to be there and try to not skip a beat."

The clerk’s office currently has five full-time and three part-time workers.

Among the clerk’s other responsibilities is preparing three budget plans each year. That includes one for full-time employee salaries from the state compensation board because it is a constitutional office, another for the city, which funds operating expenses, equipment and salaries for part-time workers and a state technology improvement budget.

Leonard, 64, said he views this as a one-term opportunity. If elected, he plans to close his appraisal business.

"I will probably just close it up. I won’t be doing any appraisals. I plan on devoting all my time to making some improvements in that office," Leonard said.

The clerk’s office is one that most residents will come into contact with.

"You can’t go your whole life without dealing with the clerk’s office. If you get married, buy a house, get divorced, get in a car accident, get sued and even in death your will is probated here. It’s rare everyone in Virginia doesn’t have to come to the clerk’s office at some time," Rohr said. "I feel like there is a legacy of being people-friendly in this office. We go the extra mile. If someone’s unhappy, we try to help them as much as possible."

dmcgee@bristolnews.com
(276) 645-2532

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Terry Rohr