THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 23, 1995 TAG: 9510200027
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
A clerk of Circuit Court election should not be decided on the basis of political charisma, political-party affiliation, number and location of yard signs, housing policy or exaggerated credentials, but rather on the basis of actual qualifications for the job itself.
Neither the clerk's office nor any one of the other constitutional offices - commonwealth's attorney, sheriff, city treasurer and commissioner of the revenue - should be awarded as a political sinecure to a member of the party faithful, as may have been the practice in the past.
In Norfolk, these jobs have grown in scope, complexity and importance, requiring solid professional skills and knowledge. To merit the public trust, each political party must nominate for these offices candidates highly qualified by training, experience, integrity and temperament to execute the duties of the position. The party that does not do so will forfeit the public's confidence, and its candidates will lose, as graphically demonstrated in recent Norfolk elections for commonwealth's attorney and sheriff.
The Circuit Court clerk is paid annually $92,000, plus benefits. The term is for eight years. The clerk's office executes a myriad of legal and record-keeping tasks, handles large sums of money, issues certain licenses and coordinates the schedule and activities of the Circuit Court and judges. The requirements of the job are executive, not political; politics must be left at the courthouse door.
The efficient execution of these complex duties requires an in-depth knowledge of Virginia statutory law, legal and court procedures, records management, office and personnel management and fiduciary compliance; also, the desire and ability to make the office better than it is. This is surely not a position that lends itself to on-the-job training!
In electing a new leader for the office of clerk of Circuit Court, we cannot ignore the widespread call for reform of our system of courts, law enforcement and justice. Many ``messages'' are being sent and received. What kind of message will we Norfolk voters send on Nov. 7 when we go to the polls to elect a new Circuit Court clerk? Will the message be ``politics as usual,'' or will it be ``demonstrated qualifications for the job?'' Either answer will send a message for the future. Which one will it be?
VINCENT J. THOMAS
Norfolk, Oct. 11, 1995 by CNB