Three Republican candidates are vying for the Clerk of Superior Court position. The winner of the May 17 primary will face Democratic challenger Dinah Mashburn in the November general election.
Current Clerk of Superior Court Vic Perry, who has served in the position since 2006, has announced he will retire at the end of May.
Prior to serving as clerk, Perry had 17 years of service as a magistrate. “I’ve got plenty of time in to retire and feel it is time,” he said Tuesday morning. “I’ve enjoyed working here in the office and serving the people of Macon County and appreciate all their support over the years.”
Superior Court Judge William Coward will appoint someone to serve as interim clerk of court until the November General Election.
Clerk responsibilities
The Clerk of Superior Court is elected to a four-year term and the responsibilities of the office include:
• All clerical and record-keeping functions of the superior court and district court
• Keeping records according to rules established by the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts
• Collecting money due to the state or on behalf of parties involved in cases before the courts
• Serving as judge of probate – handles the probate of wills (proceedings to determine if a paper writing is a valid will) and the administration of estates of the deceased, minors, and people who are incompetent
• Hearing other special proceedings such as adoptions, determinations of guardianship for incompetent adults, and partitions of land
• Handling the administration of trusts
In criminal matters, the Clerk of Superior Court
• Issues arrest and search warrants
• Conducts initial appearance hearings for criminal defendants
• Exercises the same powers as a magistrate when taking waivers of trial and pleas of guilty to minor littering, traffic, wildlife, boating, marine fisheries, alcoholic beverage, state park recreation, and worthless check offenses
The following are the candidates’ responses to questions from The Franklin Press. They are presented in the order they will be on the ballot.
Shawna Thun Lamb
Lamb has worked for the state of North Carolina since 2000 and is currently assistant clerk of Superior Court.
Why are you running and why should someone vote for you?
I see this as an opportunity to better myself and provide quality service to the people of Macon County. My background in the judicial system and the working relationships that I’ve established give me knowledge and perspective that will aid my ability to perform as clerk. With my training, certifications from the state, and years of hands-on experience, I’m confident that I know the job and can make positive improvements for our community and office.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Clerk of Court office and how will you address them?
Three very connected issues are my initial focus. A growing workload is the first large challenge we face. The office currently processes and maintains double the amount of tasks and filings that it had only 10 years ago. Hiring skilled and friendly employees to fill vacant positions and lobbying for additional staffing from the state would allow the office to better support and serve the community.
Along with the increased workload comes the challenge of storage. What people don’t often get to see behind the scenes is the volume of paperwork and files that have to be maintained in the clerk’s office. It’s crucial that those records remain accessible and orderly. My plans for maintaining records include shifting the oldest and least accessed files to off-site storage, freeing up space to organize the most current filings. The off-site records would still be available and staff would retrieve them as requested.
Finally, in what can be called a challenge and hopefully a future solution as well, is the new statewide computer system that’s currently in development. While it hasn’t launched at this time, I have great hopes that once it’s up and running it will streamline some processes and provide more services and online information to the public. With any upgrade comes challenges, and I have plans to focus on training and support for the clerk’s staff to ensure a smooth transition.
What do you want voters to know about you?
My roots are here in Macon County and that’s a large part of what motivates me to serve our community. From my grandparents, the late Chief Ernie Wright and Gladys Wright, to my parents, Charles and Gloria Thun, I was raised to appreciate hard work and the rewards that come from service. For the last 21 years I have worked with the public and within the court system and currently hold the position of assistant clerk of Superior Court. My goal is to listen to the people of Macon County and provide a positive and effective clerk’s office.
Justin Stamey
Justin Stamey has eight years of experience as a magistrate judge, serving in both civil and criminal matters.
Why are you running and why should someone vote for you?
I am running for this position because I want to provide the citizens of Macon County with a more efficient and effective judiciary for which they deserve. I have the knowledge and experience to be your next Ex Officio Judge of Probate, and I am day-one ready to move the docket of cases the elected clerk hears and adjudicates forward. These cases include estates, incompetency and guardianships, adoptions, foreclosures and legitimations just to name a few.
I will also have my staff day-one ready for the new Odyssey Case Management System when it goes live in 2024. My staff and I will work hard each and every day to provide a high-quality experience to the citizens of Macon County. We work for you. I have the necessary education and experience to bring the Clerk of Court office into the 21st century.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Clerk of Court office and how will you address them if elected?
There are six divisions that the elected Clerk of Superior Court oversees. Those divisions are bookkeeping, civil, criminal, estates, special proceedings and juvenile. The biggest challenges facing the office are the lack of cross-training opportunities within those divisions for the deputy clerks. The office only has four full-time deputy clerks at the moment and those deputies are assigned to a specific division.
These deputies and assistants deserve every opportunity to receive as much training as possible to apply to not only to their specific division but also to have the knowledge to be available for the other divisions in the event another employee has to be out. Receiving different training opportunities ensures that this office will be the most efficient and effective both in the courtroom and in the day-to-day operations when dealing with the public.
The next challenge is overhauling the archaic filing system that we currently use to the new Odyssey system. This system is set to digitalize all the filings and judgments that come to Clerk of Court Office. The launch date for the western region is set to begin in 2024. I am confident that my staff and I will be able to handle any challenges that may come from the new system and any future automation.
What do you want voters to know about you?
The next elected Clerk of Superior Court should have the necessary education and experience to serve the citizens of Macon County. I’m the only candidate in this race with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in criminal justice and over 30 judiciary certifications. Also, I’m the only candidate with over eight years of first-hand experience from the judge’s bench to be your next Ex Officio Judge of Probate. It is not oblivious to me that each judgment that is rendered has real world impact to our community and extends further than the courthouse step.
Michael (Mike) Trammel
Mike Trammel served 35 years as a deputy sheriff, 25 of which were in a supervisory position. He was a lieutenant over the civil process and courthouse security for 15 years. He owns a local lawn care business.
Why are you running and why should someone vote for you?
Because I believe that the county I love and call home deserves the best, I am running for the position of Clerk of Superior Court. Each Clerk of Superior Court across all 100 counties in North Carolina must conform to the same rules and standards. While a knowledge of law is required, to be the best, an outstanding Clerk of Court must have rich life experiences and strong leadership skills. I have lived a lot of life both professionally and personally, being married for 35 years and being a father of three and the grandfather of two.
For far too long, the clerk’s office has been static in both innovation and leadership, forcing the people of Macon County to look outside the county for basic goods and services. Macon County residents deserve more. I pledge to provide a fresh perspective and a great love for people. My combined knowledge of how the courts work, my ability to interpret both civil and criminal laws, and my life experiences serve as indispensable qualities.
What are the biggest challenges facing the Clerk of Court office and how will you address them if elected?
Aside from the new Odyssey program that will be implemented, one of the biggest challenges facing the Clerk of Court office is one of safety. Our courtrooms are filled beyond capacity, and the hallways are lined with defendants, their victims and witnesses. This makes for an extremely unsafe environment for everyone, not only the government employees, but citizens. I believe that it is the clerk’s responsibility to discuss these topics with county commissioners and start planning for Macon County’s future.
There are additional issues that need to be addressed relating to the recruitment and retention of employees. The private sector continues to increase wages, making it difficult for the government agencies to compete in the job market. The Clerk of Superior Court must be willing to be involved in these and other hard conversations and have the desire and determination to work towards solutions.
What do you want voters to know about you?
As a Christian and Republican, I hold to conservative values. I have been a Republican for over 35 years and have changed nothing about myself to try and win the voter’s favor. I see myself as a public servant, not a politician. Motivated by a strong desire to serve the citizens of Macon County in the role of Clerk of Superior Court, I pledge to attend to the needs of the people over the demands of politics, retain an approachable stance, and treat all interactions with the public with total confidentiality.
As an experienced supervisor, I see assets in each candidate, and if it were possible to bring all of those together, you would have the perfect Clerk of Court. However, with that not being possible, I, as well as many others, see myself as the most qualified. This is a leadership role, and I am an experienced, proven leader. If I have the honor of being elected, I will raise the standard for Clerk of Superior Court without any lapse in the services that Macon County expects and deserves.