Kane Circuit Clerk Barreiro, opponent Catella court voters at League forum

Incumbent Kane County Circuit Clerk Theresa Barreiro cited her experience in seeking a second term in the Nov. 5 general election, while her GOP opponent Anthony Catella asked for a chance to serve .

Both candidates answered questions at a League of Women Voters forum Oct. 1 at Batavia City Hall.

Barreiro previously served on the Kane County Board for eight years, representing Aurora. She was chair of the Development, Foreclosure Task Force and Community Block Grants and was co-chair of the Jobs Committee.

“I have over 30 years of government experience,” Barreiro said. “This experience has helped me lead the Circuit Clerk’s Office to what it is today.”

Previously, Barreiro said she worked at the City of Aurora in the clerk’s office and with inspections and permits. She also worked at the Kane County Clerk’s Office and for a financial adviser.

“In all of these positions, I prepared budgets and (had) managerial experience. That alone, on top of being in the position, makes me qualified,” Barreiro said.

Catella said he entered public life in 2016 as an election judge, then was appointed a precinct committeeman. Following that, he ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the 14h District, for County Board District 13 in 2022 and the St. Charles Library Board in 2023.

“I know I can do a good job if I am elected,” Catella said. “I don’t think anyone has any experience until they are actually in the job...My past experience has been the United States military and I am proud of that fact. I am still serving in the military, without a single ounce of pay, in the Veteran Reserve Corps Army of the United States and in Christian ministry. That has been my background...I know I can do a good job.”

Asked why voters should care about the election of the circuit clerk, Barreiro said the office’s primary function is to maintain and keep all the records of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court.

“Anything that goes through the judicial system, through the courts – the paperwork is filed through our office,” Barreiro said. “If they have to pay fines and fees, they have to do that through our office as well.”

Catella said circuit clerk is one of six countywide offices.

“It is a very important mission to help provide for the legal rights of our citizens,” Catella said.

Regarding policies will ensure the clerk’s records remain accessible to the public while maintaining their security.

“When the attorneys file their cases I will make sure that they are filed manually or e-filing. I will always work to make sure things are done in a timely manner – in many ways, the way our current administration is working,” Catella said.

“Circuit Clerk Barreiro is doing the best she can, I’m sure. I know if I’m elected, I have every confidence that I can do just as good, but in the way I would do it,” Catella said. “I would certainly be as efficient as possible and work with my staff and depend upon their expertise, since I haven’t had this job before.”

Barreiro said the circuit clerk’s office follows state laws and Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts’ rules.

“We basically cannot go outside of what Illinois statutes and the (Illinois) Supreme Court says,” Barreiro said. “We have all our systems certified and up to date. Our case management system is what the public would access to get records or to come into our office to review records.”

Barreiro said her office has updated the case management system three times and is working on its fourth update.

As to record keeping changes that would make the office run more smoothly, Barreiro said court reporters now record in the courtrooms and transcribe after court.

She does not have enough court reporters to be in every courtroom, and that is not possible unless they add more staff.

Catella said he would make sure the office had people who knew what they were doing.

“On day one...what I will do is sit with my staff and my deputy and ask them, ‘What has been going good these last four years? What has been going bad these last four years?’” Catella said.

“What has been going good these last four years, we’ll maintain. What they might have thought has gone bad over the last four years, we can change or fix and make better,” Catella said.

Catella’s goals if elected would be to maintain the openness of the courts.

“As your Circuit Clerk, it would be my duty to maintain, make sure that the courts of this circuit remain open to all, that their mighty wheels of justice grind continually for all people, for all causes, looking down every broad avenue for justice, with everything concerned with the law, tempering their judgments with reason and mercy for all,” Catella said. “We do it at the highest level of our Supreme Court of the United States. We certainly can and must do it at the county level. That’s what I would do. That’s my vision.”

Barreiro said in a second term, she would like to continue to improve technology and install kiosks in branch courts to make it easy for people to look up their records.

“We would also like to host more expungement clinics throughout Kane County. We probably have two to three a year in Aurora, Elgin and Geneva, but we would like hold more. We would like to hold those quarterly,” Barreiro said. “And we also like to extend the hours of our branch courts in Aurora and Elgin. And I’m also looking at getting satellite branch offices throughout the county.”

If re-elected, Barreiro said she would “work toward better customer service, collaboration, innovation and transparency.”

Catella said if he is elected, “It will be my constant duty to see to it that the courts of this circuit remain open to all.”

The Leagues of Women Voters of the Aurora Area, Elgin Area, and Central Kane County co-hosted the forum.

The Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 candidate forums are available for viewing online at www.youtube.com and at www.youtube.com.