The countywide elected office that has drawn the most interest in the Aug. 7 primary election is circuit clerk, which has attracted the interest of five Republicans and a Democrat.
The incumbent, Mike Reuter, is seeking a second four-year term, but he faces challenges within his own party from Laurie Laiben, Gary Davis, John Campisi and Ashley Michelle Scrivner.
Scrivner did not return a Leader candidate questionnaire.
The winner will face Democrat Dorothy Stafford, a former Jefferson County auditor, in the November general election.
The circuit clerk maintains the records for the 23rd Judicial Circuit, including documents concerning criminal, civil and probate cases.
The circuit clerk’s salary is $71,846 a year.
REUTER, 51, lists his address as P.O. Box 319, Imperial. He and his wife, County Councilwoman Renee Reuter, have two children and one grandchild. Before he was elected circuit clerk four years ago, he worked for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy and served in the U.S. Army for nine years, including during Operation Desert Storm. A graduate of Fox High School, Reuter has an associate degree from Jefferson College and a Peace Officer Standards and Training certification.
He is a member of the National Association of Court Managers, the Missouri Circuit Clerk Association, National Association for Court Management, the Arnold Rotary Club, American Legion Post 283 (where he has been post commander), Jefferson County Republican Club, National Rifle Association, VFW and Immanuel Lutheran Church, where he has been president of the Voters Assembly. He also has coached youth sports.
Social media: Website: www.votereuter.com Facebook: Mike Reuter for 23rd Judicial Circuit Clerk
LAIBEN, 60, lives at 314 Mississippi Ave., Crystal City. She and her husband, John, have three children and five grandchildren. She is a certified court administrator for the Arnold Municipal Court and administrative assistant to the prosecuting attorney and worked in the Circuit Clerk’s Office from 2005-2012 and 2014-2015. A Festus High School graduate, she is a member of the Missouri Association of Court Administrators, Twin City Optimist Club, the Jefferson County Pachyderms and the Jefferson County Republican Club. She was a member of the school board of Our Lady Catholic School, a volleyball coach, member of the Pro-Life and Right to Life groups and a volunteer at Our Lady Catholic School.
Social media: Facebook: Laurie Laiben For Circuit Clerk Website: www.laurielaibenforclerk.com
DAVIS, 68, lives at 13000 Davis Lane, Festus. He and his wife, Connie, have four children and five grandchildren. He is a construction inspector for the Jefferson County Public Works Department. He has an associate degree from Jefferson College, attended Southwest Baptist University and has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Southeast Missouri State University. He has been on the Jefferson College Board of Trustees since 2004 and is a member of Mission Builders. He was a volunteer with the Jefferson Baptist Association, a member of St. Jude Partners in Hope and a camp counselor and youth sports coach.
CAMPISI, 58, lives at 5309 Lakewood Terrace No. 311, Imperial. He has five children and five grandchildren. He is a manager and loan officer for TitleMax. He has a master’s degree in business management and project management from the University of Phoenix. He was a St. Louis County councilman from 2000-2008, and was a chairman of that body for a time.
What are the circuit clerk's duties? Why are you qualified to carry them out?
Reuter: The circuit clerk manages 52 staff members who process court documents for criminal, civil, probate, wills, trusts, juvenile, small claims, landlord-tenant and other types of matters. The circuit clerk is the official keeper of court records for the six circuit courts and six associate circuit courts that serve Jefferson County. The clerk coordinates with the judges in the circuit, local attorneys, members of the public and several offices, including the public defender, prosecuting attorney, the Sheriff’s Office, the Juvenile Office, the Public Administrator, county administration and the Collector. I am the only candidate with real circuit clerk experience.
Laiben: The primary duty of the circuit clerk is to assist the court judges in the execution of their judicial duties by preparing and maintaining accurate court records, collecting fees and fines and processing filings. The office is the official record keeper for the courts. I have worked in various divisions of the court as well as in supervisor positions. It is imperative that the circuit clerk has experience and knowledge of legal proceedings and processing court records to be the leader of this office. I have that experience.
Davis: Prepare dockets for the courts, is responsible for jury duty, child support issues and state-issued traffic tickets. Is the administrative officer of the circuit court. I have more than 30 years of business management experience with an emphasis on customer service, employee relations and training a human resources specialist, budget projections, expense controls, diversity and sexual harassment training, counseling and training.
Campisi: If elected, I would be responsible for keeping the records for the 23rd Circuit Court, it would include receiving and processing court documents, traffic, child support enforcement, small claims and probate documents. This office also collects and disburses fines and fees for the court.
What would you do to improve public access to data controlled by your office?
Reuter: For new cases, I instituted a case initiation standard. This requires deputy clerks to open new case files within three business days, making the records available online in a more predictable fashion. This circuit is the only one in the state with such a standard. For old cases, I started a records retention department to focus on digitizing old paper files. Since 2014, this department has digitized about 48,000 files for easier access. If re-elected, I would expand public computer terminal availability in the courthouse to allow members of the public free access to view online records.
Laiben: The title companies and abstractors that need information for their jobs need to be allowed better access. The law library where the public gains access to public information needs to be staffed with more knowledgeable staff to assist them. One of the most important issues with court data is protecting the privacy of residents. Only sworn-in deputy clerks should be allowed any access to confidential records. As circuit clerk, I will make sure that it is a priority while making sure the law is followed for public access.
Davis: Encourage the public to contact us with any concerns or inquiries. Post information on website, social media, etc.
Campisi: I would use the experience I have with constituents to make sure the office follows up with questions and concerns from constituents and work with lawyers uploading information to the software. I would also like to speak regularly with the judges and get their Ideas and concerns and incorporate those ideas to make their experience seamless. I would like to meet with those who use our software through meetings, gathering their experiences and apply those ideas to improve the overall process of the office.
What would you do to improve customer service?
Reuter: Customer service is my No. 1 priority. I opened an information office near the front door of the courthouse to help visitors find the needed court or office. Also, the office now accepts U.S. passport applications, a service started in 2017. I made it a priority to identify and return unclaimed money held in the circuit court registry. In three years, the office has returned more than $100,000 to its rightful owners. Finally, I implemented an employee incentive program to reward employees for excellent work, including providing excellent customer service. If re-elected, I would work to continually improve customer service.
Laiben: Customer service should be the No. 1 priority. Although sometimes it may be difficult when customers are stressed about a court case, the staff needs to be trained thoroughly how to handle each situation. This does not come natural to some people, but with proper training on what is expected, it can be accomplished. We need to remember that we work as public servants, and every person should be treated with respect no matter what the situation is. I don’t think they need a separate information station. That is what the front window of the office should be.
Davis: Answer questions and phones promptly; have ongoing training with our personnel on excellent customer service and be accessible to the residents.
Campisi: I would meet with the current staff to find out how and who interacts with customers when they walk in and get the employee’s ideas on what they think would improve customer service. My experience has always been to listen to the constituent while taking notes, respond with a suggestion and always follow through to make sure the constituent is satisfied.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Reuter: Under my leadership, the office returned more than $100,000 in unclaimed money, digitized tens of thousands of historical files, added an information office, offered a new passport application service, increased training of employees, set measurable performance standards for employees and rewarded them for excellent work. Today, the office offers more services, with increased efficiency and transparency despite a 4 percent staff reduction over four years. Voters should re-elect me because I am uniquely qualified for this position as a lifelong public servant, and I have produced measurable, positive results.
Laiben: I am the only candidate with experience in various areas of the office and am the only candidate who is a certified court administrator. I am the best candidate because of my experience and passion for the job. As a survivor, I have experienced one of the worst things that can happen. It is now time for me to give back to my community. As circuit clerk, I will stop the wasteful spending of taxpayers’ money that has gotten out of hand. I will follow laws, procedures and policies in place to accomplish this.
Davis: I have served on the Jefferson College Board of Trustees for the past 14 years as vice president and have supported the efforts to continuously enhance and promote the college’s agenda to offer the highest quality education at the most economical tuition in the state. My goals are to serve the best interests of the residents and courts of Jefferson County with integrity and respect. I will be accessible to any who need my assistance.
Campisi: I have been involved in elected office for eight years and held 96 monthly public meetings during that time. I stay involved until my constituents are satisfied the problem or concern is eliminated, and I always follow through to see if there is anything else I can help with. I have a reputation of standing up for residents. My goal would be to improve the effectiveness of the office and bring lawyers, judges and constituents together to make communication, response time and customer service second to none.