Both candidates for Athens County Clerk of Court say their experience makes them the best choice for the job.
Democratic incumbent Ann Trout said that her 18 years of experience working in the clerk of courts office makes her the best candidate. Republican challenger Miles Wolf said his experience working with personnel, budgets and the law and the court systems makes him the best candidate for clerk of court.
The clerk of courts handles the filing, docketing, indexing and preserving of all court pleadings, according to the Ohio Clerk of Courts Association Web site, (http://www.occaohio.com).
The previous clerk of courts, Christie Mitchell, retired earlier this year, and Trout was appointed to the position after winning the March primary. Before that, Trout worked in the title department of the clerk of courts office, processing titles for things such as mobile homes, motor vehicles and passports.
One of the best things Trout said she has done in the clerk of courts office is to extend the hours the title office is open. The office is open until 6:30 p.m. on Monday evenings to help the 9-5 people
Trout said. Trout said her goal for her next term, if elected, is to become a limited authority, a position that still is pending legislation. If approved, a limited authority clerk of courts would be able to sell first-time automobile license plates from his or her office.
If he is elected, Wolf said some of his goals include making the clerk of courts office more consumer friendly and updating the computer system. He also wants to educate the public about what the clerk of courts office does, he said. People need to know what the duties of their elected officials are he said.
After receiving a certificate in police science from Hocking College, Wolf worked as a police officer for 11 years. Wolf also has served as an Athens County juvenile court deputy clerk, a juvenile probation officer and county deputy auditor. In addition, Wolf served one term as mayor of Buchtel and sat on the Nelsonville-York school board for seven years.
A nontraditional student, Wolf is currently in his junior year at OU, pursuing a major in secondary education and a minor in political science.
Wolf lives in Buchtel with his wife, a nurse with the OU Medical Associates. They recently adopted a two-year-old son and are trying to adopt his five-month-old sister.
Trout, a lifelong resident of Athens, said she has been here forever. A 1972 graduate of Athens High School, Trout attended classes at Hocking College up until 2003, focusing on business management, she said.
Trout has resided in Albany with her husband, a barber at Carsey's Barber Shop on Court Street, for the past 30 years. She has two sons.
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Jessica Forrester
