The Nov. 6 election for Jefferson County circuit clerk features an interesting matchup.
Republican Mike Reuter, the incumbent, is seeking a second four-year term succeeding longtime circuit clerk Howard Wagner, a Democrat who ran the office from 1986 to 2014.
Reuter defeated four other Republicans in the August primary election to advance to the general election, where he will face Dorothy Stafford, a Democrat who was the county’s auditor from 1994 to 2014, when she was defeated by Republican Richard Carter III, who has since resigned. Previous to her election as auditor, Stafford worked in the Circuit Clerk’s Office.
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 received an associate degree from Jefferson College in 2010 and has 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 was president of the Voters Assembly. He also has coached youth sports.
Social media: Website: votereuter.com Facebook: Mike Reuter for 23rd Judicial Circuit Clerk
STAFFORD, 63, lives at 11 Kimberwicke Court, Festus. She is married to Stan Tucker. She is retired after working as the supervisor of the accounting department in the circuit clerk’s office and later as the county’s auditor. She was a member of the Twin City Optimist Club, served on the board of managers for the YMCA and was a board member for the Quad Cities Senior Center.
What are the circuit clerk's duties? Why are you qualified to carry them out?
Reuter: The circuit clerk is the official keeper of records for the six circuit courts and six associate circuit courts that serve Jefferson County. These records involve disputes and matters in the areas of criminal, civil, probate, wills, trusts and conservatorships. The circuit clerk manages more than 50 deputy clerks who serve the public and the 12 court divisions of the county’s 23rd Circuit.
Stafford: The circuit clerk oversees the operation of the courts and acts as a liaison to the public regarding judicial matters, answering questions, administrating fines, payments, court appearances and other related procedures. I’m qualified because I served 20 years (1973-1993) as a supervisor in the Circuit Clerk’s Office reporting directly to the circuit clerk, giving me comprehensive knowledge and experience of all aspects of the position. My years as auditor required me to keep abreast of the office as I audited both inventory and monthly reports pertaining to fees and fines collected, ensuring tax dollars were used as intended.
What would you do to improve public access to data controlled by your office?
Reuter: I instituted a case initiation standard that requires deputy clerks to open new case files within three business days of receipt, making records available online in a more predictable fashion. I also implemented the Show-Me Jury program, which allows jurors in criminal cases to sign up for text notifications about their jury service. I started a Records Retention Department to focus on digitizing old paper files. Since 2014, this department has digitized more than 50,000 files for easier access. If re-elected, I would add more free public computer terminals in the courthouse to access court records and information.
Stafford: My years of public service prove I take efficiency and transparency very seriously. The workload in Jefferson County will continue to rise as our population increases and we must be prepared to keep up with the demands of our residents. We can accomplish this through enhanced training, simplified public access and using monetary and technological resources properly.
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. Also, my office now accepts U.S. passport applications. 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 incentive program to reward employees for excellent work, including providing excellent customer service. If re-elected, I would work to continually improve customer service.
Stafford: Improved customer service includes providing the information residents need as they use the court system. Realizing this is normally a new experience for people, we must be cognizant of this and establish ways to communicate effectively. Additionally, we can always improve on staff relations, cross-training of staff, effective case management and simply realizing to treat residents the way we would like to be treated. Enhancing the office’s website to be more user-friendly can eliminate much confusion and frustration when trying to obtain information pertaining to the legal system.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Reuter: Under my leadership, the Circuit Clerk’s Office returned $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 employees 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.
Stafford: I have a proven record of providing quality service to the residents of Jefferson County. If elected, I will strive to make information easily available to those using the court system. I will provide transparency and upgrade the existing public access system. Traversing our legal system can be an overwhelming experience and I will implement changes that are intended to assist the public to better understand how to get the information they need. If elected, I will serve residents professionally and knowledgeably, keeping their interest in mind.