Scott County changing court clerk system

Scott County is changing how court clerks are organized in a move to save money and perhaps get more clerks, a plan that was promoted by the county's newest judge during last year's election campaign.

Scott Horman ran unopposed for Scott County Associate Circuit Court judge in the 2006 general election. He defeated 27-year incumbent David C. Mann in the Democratic primary in August by about 1,100 votes.

Horman believes his success was due in part to people wanting a change in how things are done at the courthouse.

"I believe that in any position some evolution must take place over time, especially 27 years," Horman said. "There certainly didn't seem to be any evolution, and there was not going to be unless someone else provided it to Scott County."

Something Horman and Mann disagreed on was consolidating court clerks so they no longer work for individual judges, he said. Horman promoted the plan.

One, the state will reimburse the county up to $25,000, which can be used to update filing systems, update telephone systems and technical support and buy new workstations for employees, Horman said. The reimbursement is an incentive offered by the state to encourage consolidation in all counties.

Along with Scott County judges David A. Dolan and W.H. Winchester III and Circuit Clerk Pam Glastetter, Horman signed a court consolidation agreement following the November general election. The agreement took effect Jan. 1.

Consolidating also streamlines case processing and purchasing of supplies, which avoids duplication, he said.

"This saves money," he said.

Clerks will be cross-trained and report to the circuit clerk rather than to individual judges, he said.

Glastetter said the new system will provide better service. Instead of sending people to various areas of the courthouse to pay bills or file paperwork, all that can be done in one location.

"It's about being more customer service-oriented," she said. "It's also a more efficient way of processing case files because there's no more duplication. We just do it once here."

As a consolidated county, Scott County will be given priority over nonconsolidated counties to receive additional court clerks.

When a court clerk retires or resigns from a nonconsolidated county, the money budgeted for that position by the state is rerouted to a consolidated one. The state relies on studies it has done to determine which counties need clerks and prioritizes them according to that need.

"Scott County is fairly high on the list," Horman said, adding the study indicated Scott County could use about three more clerks.

Not that the county would get three clerks when its turn comes up. Scott County will get one, then be put at the bottom of the list and work its way up again, Horman said.

"Our hope is that at least one clerk will be added in the next year or so," he said.

New Madrid, Perry and Mississippi counties also have court consolidation agreements, Horman said.

Prior to his swearing in Dec. 29, Horman served as Scott City prosecuting attorney for the past five years while practicing general law at Siebert & Horman, P.C., in Scott City, with his partner, Francis Siebert.

Horman and his wife, Leslie, a licensed insurance agent, are lifelong Scott County residents living in Chaffee with their two children.

He graduated from Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo., in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in business management and graduated University of Missouri-Columbia law school in 2000.

Before starting his own practice, Horman worked at the Limbaugh, Russell, Payne & Howard Law Firm in Cape Girardeau.

Horman said giving up a private practice to become a civil servant was a natural progression of his longtime community involvement.

His community service has included participation in the Sikeston Jaycees, The Chaffee School District Board of Education, where he served as vice president in 2005-2006, and the Scott City Chamber of Commerce, among others.

"Being from Scott County, I thought I could contribute," he said.

carel@semissourian.com

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