Early voting starts May 9 for the May 24 primary election. Candidates for county judge were outlined last week, and this week’s candidates are running for Collector or Circuit Clerk, listed in their filing order.
The circuit clerk is responsible for filing and processing all court documents for civil and criminal courts. The clerk is the official recorder of deeds, mortgages, and liens.
Carroll County native Sara Huffman is the chief deputy in the circuit clerk’s office in Eureka Springs. She has learned all the aspects of that office, including coordinating jury pools. She has experience in preparing financial documents for the office. Huffman said she is prepared to work through the challenges that will come with new automation systems. She described a “complicated and expensive process” which is already under way in land documents. The state is expected to require similar systems for court proceedings, and Huffman said that transition will take a lot of effort.
Denise Simone has an extensive background in business. As small business owners, she and her husband had to learn every aspect of office management and budgeting. At the same time, she worked as a business analyst for Walmart for 13 years. She is also a licensed notary. Simone has worked in the circuit clerk’s office and said she would like to improve communications between the Berryville and Eureka Springs offices. She will focus on collections and on implementing more efficient procedures.
Toni Hulsey has lived here 20 years and worked in the Circuit Clerk’s office in Eureka Springs before working at the Public Defender’s office. She has worked there 12 years, and said, “I love my job, but I’m ready for new challenges.” Hulsey said she admires the way people in Carroll County help each other out, “and that’s the way I want to use this office.” Many of the people who come into the office have questions, and Hulsey said she will work to make the office more accessible. Hulsey said she will look for new tools to collect some of the fines and restitutions that have gone unpaid.
The collector oversees tax collections, and also works closely with the Assessor’s office.
Krista Burnett has lived in Carroll County all her life and graduated from Berryville High School. In recent years, she has home-schooled her children, but she worked in the Collector’s office before that. “My biggest concern is delinquent taxes,” she said. “It’s always been an issue.” Burnett said the county now has new tools for tracking down delinquents, including a new program through the state. Burnett said other counties have had success with the program, and she looks forward to implementing it here. “I know the job from the bottom up, including the programs and the software, and I’m ready to lead that office,” she said.
Brittany Blok has lived in Carroll County 20 years and graduated from Berryville High School. She has worked in the Assessor’s office for seven years, and during that time, she worked closely with the staff in the Collector’s office. “There are some complicated interactions between those two offices, and I’ve learned a lot that will help me there,” she said. Blok said her background will make it easier for her to answer questions from people about their tax bills. “The people who work in that office encouraged me to run,” she said, “because they see how hard I work, and they know I’ll do what I say.”