Kendall GOP circuit clerk candidates talk modernizing the office

OSWEGO – Modernizing the Kendall County court records system, how to pay for it and how the circuit clerk's office helps prevent crime in the community were among the issues discussed during a candidate forum for Republican circuit clerk candidates this week.

Ahead of the March 17 primary election day, the Aurora Area chapter of the League of Women Voters, which was recognized as a new chapter on July 25, hosted the forum for the Republican candidates in the race Wednesday, Jan. 23 at the Oswego Fire Protection District Station on Woolley Road. The group is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase public understanding of major policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy, according to its website.

Former Kendall County circuit clerk office employee Emily Carlson of Yorkville, current Kane County deferred prosecution coordinator Michelle Halbesma of Oswego, and current Kendall County Board member Matt Prochaska of Bristol attended the forum as Republican circuit clerk candidates on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Halbesma said the main issue the office faces is technology and ease of court records access for the consumer. She said the current case management system in place is outdated and she was surprised to learn that you cannot pay your court fines or fees with a debit or credit card at a customer counter of the circuit clerk's office.

Halbesma said her proposed immediate fix would be to implement card readers at the front desk and in every courtroom. She said she would also want to undergo the long-term capital project to switch over from the antiquated Jano system to a more web-based system like Odyssey, which is what Kane County currently uses.

Halbesma said there are no papers in the courtroom currently in Kane County. She said all of the attorneys carry laptops, they can instantly pull up their case and can submit an order to the judge via electronic submission, which is then filed with the clerk and the records are instantly updated.

"As soon as you leave that courtroom, you can pull up the app on your phone or the clerk's website and you now have all of the information at your fingertips from what just happened 30 seconds ago," Halbesma said.

From her previous work experience within the office, Carlson said, she would see the benefit of having card readers at the front desk but not so much within courtrooms. That is, she said, unless there would be a different case management system and improved dispositions, since it takes a lot of time to enter those in the system currently.

"At this point, it would take more training," Carlson said. "That's the first key to making the office efficient is having everybody on the same page with the same knowledge so there aren't discrepancies between offices or practices."

Prochaska said he agrees that the current system is antiquated and is in favor of modernizing the courthouse, since it would really help those who use the court management software every single day.

"But the question is funding," Prochaska said.

Prochaska said projects like those could cost millions and that is money that the county doesn't have readily available. He suggested possibly taking money out of the public safety sales tax and reaching out to the Illinois state treasurer's office regarding electronic payment fines and fees.

The Republican candidates also were asked how they would guarantee that sealed documents are not seen by the public, as it had happened in the case between a man identified as James Doe and former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Prochaska said for high-profile cases like those, the circuit clerk themselves should be the ones who would submit the documents to ensure nothing is unsealed or there should at least be a double-check policy in place.

Carlson said she personally has had experience with larger cases like those. She said the practice was for clerk deputies to come to their supervisors if there was a discrepancy about how something should be filed and to not file anything immediately if there was any doubt about what to do in that situation.

Halbesma said she would look to bring on a quality assurance officer for this reason if she were elected. She said those types of documents should never go to an entry-level clerk and those responsible for those types of errors must be held accountable.

The candidates also said they believed the circuit clerk's office has a role in preventing crime in the community.

Carlson said she believes the best way to prevent crimes is properly recording record dispositions and making sure felons that are convicted are reported to the Illinois State Police properly and to make sure they lose their rights. She said that includes domestic battery convictions and orders of protections.

"I used to keep track of a separate log that they should report to FOID," Carlson said.

Halbesma said she would happily participate in community outreach initiatives, like talking to students at schools about consequences of crimes committed and how hard it is to correct those mistakes.

All three candidates at the forum also said they would keep current employees within the office at least initially before taking a look at potential efficiencies, take a zero tolerance policy on bullying in the workplace and would plan on being in the office every day.

"None of our county offices should be phoned in," Prochaska said.

Former Oswego Village Trustee Ryan Kauffman of Oswego has filed as a Democrat in the race. He will run unopposed in the primary.

Early voting for the primary election begins 8 a.m. Feb. 6 at the county clerk's office at 111 W. Fox St., room 103, in Yorkville.