THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 1, 1995 TAG: 9501010059
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALEX MARSHALL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
Councilman Randy Wright, the council's outspoken populist, may seek the Democratic nomination to run for clerk of the Circuit Court in November.
Wright, who has served on the council three years, is considering taking on William T. Ryan, the current court clerk.
Ryan, 72, has held the job for 10 years and says Wright may have been prompted by rumors that Ryan would retire. But Ryan said he is in good health and will seek re-election to an eight-year term. Ryan was first elected to the clerkship in 1984 to serve two years of his predecessor's term.
``I don't golf, I don't fish and I love this job,'' Ryan said. ``It's one of those things you want to do every day.''
Ryan, who has worked in the clerk's office a total of 33 years, said he would not like to see someone without much experience take this job.
``You don't walk in off the street and handle it with any ease,'' Ryan said.
The clerk's function is to keep the records of the Circuit Court. This includes keeping court decisions and transcripts of cases, as well as recording deeds, issuing marriage licenses and receiving fines.
Ryan is a Democrat. The party would have to decide in the spring whether to hold a convention or primary to choose the nominee, if Wright or someone else opposes Ryan.
The job of clerk, although elective, is low profile. Clerks in other cities do not typically speak out on public issues, nor is there any forum for them to do so regularly. If Wright ran and won, he would beout of the public eye unless he altered the job.
While on the council, Wright has worked to shift the council's attention more to neighborhood issues and away from downtown redevelopment. Along with other recently elected council members, he has made the council more responsive to public opinion and outcry.
In Virginia, the position of clerk is one of five constitutional offices that the people directly elect. In many states, the job is an appointed position. The office now has a staff of 50 and a payroll of more than $1 million a year, Ryan said. The office pays its expenses through fees charged on users.
The clerk's salary, which is set by the state according to a city's population, is almost $90,000 a year.
Wright, 48, said he is considering running because of the difficulty in managing his printing business near Military Circle and being a council member.
``It would allow me to be a full-time public servant, vs. now, where I am a full-time, part-time public servant,'' Wright said.
Wright has little experience working within the court system and would have to convince the voters that he could handle the job. Wright said he is considering projects such as microfilming more of the court's records, and he says his experience in business and government qualifies him for the job.
``I've got 12 years of running a business, and that qualifies me for an administrative position,'' Wright said.
Another aspect of the job that was appealing, Wright said, was that he would have to run for office only once every eight years. But Wright cautioned that he had not made up his mind.
``What it really comes down to is, `Do I want to make a career change?' '' Wright said. ``I'm not sure if anything would be as rewarding to me as being on council.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
WILLIAM RYAN
The current clerk says rumors that he will retire are untrue. He
says he will seek re-election for the position he has held for 10
years. The clerk of the Circuit Court has an eight-year term and
earns $90,000.
RANDY WRIGHT
Councilman Wright is considering projects such as making more
microfilms of court records if he is elected. He says his experience
in business and government qualifies him for the job.
by CNB