For circuit clerk: Kim Hooper
By:
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
For the last two elections we've bemoaned the poor choice available to voters in the race for Champaign County circuit court clerk. Both times we felt as if our lukewarm endorsement of incumbent Linda Frank was essentially a default position; that she wasn't a good choice but her opponent was worse.
Finally we think the Democratic Party has come up with a competent candidate – 32-year-old Kim Hooper – who with her experience, zeal and personality, can undo the mound of problems in the office and help make it an efficient part of the county's judicial system.
We've heard too many complaints for too many years about lost or misplaced court files, poor customer service, miscommunication in the clerk's office and difficulty retaining good employees to think that the problems there are related to anything but the person – admittedly an honest and pleasant person – who has been at the top for 17 years.
Frank made it clear in an interview with The News-Gazette that she does not trust her own employees (only supervisors get Internet access, making it overly difficult for other courthouse employees to contact circuit clerk employees) and that she is uncomfortable with a new courthouse computer program that is causing turmoil in her office.
Hooper has been a judge's clerk and now works in the state's attorney's office. She said she is proficient with the courthouse computer program and is familiar with many employees in the circuit clerk's office and knows she can improve morale, productivity and customer service. This is one local office where that great election year buzzword – change – really is welcome.
Comments
Poor Choices?
A poor choice would be picking an individual who has never worked in the Circuit Clerk's Office, and has ZERO days experience with what actually happens there.
Just compare Linda Frank's experience on her website with Kim Hooper's. Ms. Hooper lists experience as Secretary of a wrestling program and room mother for her child's classroom. How can this compare with 17 years Circuit Clerk experience, many awards from national organizations, and a decade of experience prior to that in Champaign County Board business of Ms. Frank?
Ms. Frank is not afraid of change, she brought computerized record keeping into the Circuit Clerk's Office many years ago. She brought the records to the general public through the PASS system many years before most counties did.
Court files will rarely get misplaced, but occasionally that is part of the job when you have hundreds of thousands of files that you are responsible for, and have to share those files with 11 courtrooms, the state's attorney's office, 30+ employees, and have them available to the public for viewing. Most times that they are listed as MIA, they are actually located in one of the courtrooms, and are found within a couple of hours or less.
Employees are well equipped with all of the tools that they need to accomplish their tasks. All employees have a phone that can be dialed directly from anywhere in the county offices. Many businesses have found that the internet detracts from employee performance. Studies have shown that many people spend way too much time on Facebook, personal email, online shopping, etc., sometimes even unintentionally downloading viruses and spyware. Atleast a third of Ms. Frank's office has internet access to perform functions FOR the county; ordering supplies, checking on the status of out-of-county inmates, accessing bank records, etc. Many businesses work without internet access for their employees. Does it stop you from being able to purchase items in the store, or food at a restaurant, or get your car repaired? No, I don't believe it does. It allows those employees to focus on the tasks at hand, lower costs, and improve employee functioning.
I don't believe that trust is really the issue here though, it is Ms. Frank's unwavering dedication to preserving the important position which she holds so dear, and has been chosen time and time again to perform.
Jano, the new computer program, came to the County as a rewrite from another county. It was purchased that way by the County Board years ago, and while great effort has been expended in getting it to be usable for Champaign County, there are still certain functions that have not been integrated into Jano locally. It is a work in progress, several items are still not fully functional. The office is currently having to utilize the previous computer system for those functions. While the Jano system is getting better everyday, it still has a way to go before it will be as good as advertised so many years ago. These issues are not the fault or responsibility of Ms. Frank, but just the cards that were dealt to her when the entire county changed over to this new 'integrated' software.
But this is all just my opinion, judge for yourself. Check out the two ladies qualifications, and then make the decision for yourself. www.lindasfrank.com and www.kimhooperforcircuitclerk.org. If after reading both websites completely, you honestly think that change would be good, please vote that way.
I believe being the intelligent person that you are, trying to research the candidates, that you will agree with my thoughts and vote like I will.
Vote for the experience, knowledge, financial responsibility, and values that are required to fulfill such an important task - the keeper of the records, finances, and evidence of Champaign County Courts.
P. Jay
"All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward."
Ellen Glasgow
Posted by PJay on October 26, 2008 at 11:52 PM Report this comment