NEWSLETTER

Arkansas District & City Court Clerks Association

August 15, 2003

Hello everyone,

Welcome to another "CHIEFS" only meeting. I hope the deputy clerks understand we are not using this time to talk about them behind their backs, but to regenerate ourselves and to better define our leadership duties and responsibilities. I don’t need to point out how stressful our jobs are. We use this time to vent a little and hopefully learn a lot.

As everyone knows, there are still many questions and concerns about the implementation of Amendment 80 and all it entails. We now have a Legislation Committee in place that has already begun planning our next step for the 2005 Legislature session. During the next year, you may receive surveys in the mail or by phone. I can’t stress how important it is to all of us, for each of you to answer these surveys completely and as quickly as possible. Surveys will also be sent to the judges for their concerns. We will try to share information, however, what might be relevant to our needs may not concern the judges. I can’t promise there will not be some duplication of questions. Just be patient and fill out the surveys. I know the judges will be addressing their salaries and becoming state employees. We need to be prepared to address these issues for the clerks also. One concern that only affects the clerks who were on the ‘Local" retirement is the change to APERS for our retirement benefits. I have appointed a committee of clerks who were on the local retirement to help me as we begin negotiations with the Board of Directors for APERS. It is my understanding that any conditions for retirement benefits we receive will also be applied to the clerks that are already on APERS, but I am not as naive as I once was so that too could be found to be untrue. Any questions or concerns may be addressed to me, the Chair of the Legislative Committee, or to any member of the APERS Benefits Committee. See below for a list of the Legislation Committee and APERS Benefits Committee.

That will be enough of all this serious stuff. We have another exciting and event filled year ahead of us. I am looking forward to working with you and for you again this year. I want to give everyone my email address in case you need to contact me. It is Midwest@necropolis.org.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Legislation Committee:

Geneva Vance, St. Francis Co. District Court (1 year)

Vicki Weed, N. L. R. District Court 1st Division (3 years)

Betty Whitaker, Johnson City Court (3 years)

Dena Titsworth, District Court of Polk Co. (2 years)

APERS Committee:

Linda Clark, Eureka Springs District Court

Judy Carlisle, Cross Co. District Court

Ruby Baker, Beebe District Court

Judy West, President, ARDCCCA

 

Nancy Kenworthy

Nancy has been Deputy Clerk for Hope in Hempstead County since March 20, 2003, married to John and they have 3 children Tori 14, Brittany 10 and Dalton 16 months. Happy Birthday (September 2nd).

Elizabeth Lewis

Elizabeth is Court Clerk for Centerton in Benton County. She has been Clerk since February 20, 2002. She previously worked as a waitress at Centerton Inn and has a son named Landyn Matthew Sales, age 3. Happy Birthday Elizabeth, (September 9th).

BETTY’S CORNER

1. Believe in love at first sight.

2. Smile when picking up the phone, the caller will hear it in your voice.

3. In disagreements, fight hard but fairly. Please no name-calling.

4. When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile sweetly and say, "Why do you want to know?

5. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt…but it’s the only way to live life completely.

Wyevette Jackson

Wyevette has been Chief City Clerk for Rose Bud in White County since May 1, 2001. She is divorced with 3 girls and 5 grandchildren and retired from Greyhound  Lines, Inc. as a driver and works ½ day for the City as Court Clerk. We may not see you in December so Happy early Birthday (December 30th).

Gerri Biggs

Gerri is District Court Clerk of Scott County. She has one son named Shawn who graduated from Waldron High School on May 23, 2003. He received a Scholarship from University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and V. T. Baugh Memorial Scholarship. GO SHAWN GO! We’re all rooten for you.

PONDER THIS

" A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury." "From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship." The average age of the world’s greatest civilization has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through these sequences: "From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage…to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency and back again into bondage." The United States is now over 200 years old. Is this what we see happening to our constitutional republic, because it has been gradually twisted into a ""DEMOCRACRY"? If we are to protect the personal liberties we have left in our United States, perhaps now is the time to be thinking about it. Also, any nation that does not protect its borders can not long endure, as it was before so many loyal American patriots gave their lives to keep it that way. "IS IT LATER THAN WE THINK"?

The proceeding was written by Professor Alexander Tyler over 200 years ago, while our 13 colonies were still a part of Great Britain. (He was at that time, writing about the fall of the Arthurian Republic over 2000 year’s earlier.)

Tammy Shaffer

Tammy has been Deputy Clerk for West Fork in Washington County full time since June of 2002. Married to Brett and they have two children Kahner 7, Logan 6 and Hunter 3. Happy Birthday Tammy (8- 1).

Jean Billings

Jean is Chief Deputy Clerk for Scott County, married to Curtis for 38 years, and they have 2 children, James (31) and Lisa (36). Her son (James) and his fiancee Rebecca were recently married and they will be presenting them with their third grandchild in October. This is the first baby in Jean’s family for over thirteen years. Congratulations, and Happy Birthday Jean (August 30th).

Del Rae Templeton

Del Rae has been Deputy Clerk for Bryant in Saline County since October 1, 1990. She was District Representative and Historian for 2 years prior. Del Rae is divorced with 5 children, Mark 45, Glen 42, Teresa 41, Terri Rae 39, Temple 30 and 10 grandchildren from 18 months to 21 years old. WOW WHAT A GREAT FAMILY! Del Rae you have a lot to be proud of. Her first grandchild (Lauren) will be married November 15, 2003 and grandson James Huffman is in his 2nd year at Stanford University on a full 4-year scholarship. Happy Birthday Del Rae (September 1st).

Dianne Pittman

Dianne has been Chief Clerk for Bryant District Court in Saline County since June 15, 1975. She held the position of Past Parliamentarian and has been married to Raymond since 1968. They have 3 children Angela 34, Brian & Brittany (twins) 15, a great son-in-law Shawn and two grandchildren, Kyle 11, and Mikayla 7. Dianne has been Chief Clerk in Bryant District Court for 28 years and loves her job. She has four great Deputy Clerks. She loves spending time with her kids and grandchildren. Her daughter Brittany is active on the Bryant Lady Hornet Volleyball team and son Brian is an avid fisherman. Dianne says her family is very important to her. Not that we couldn’t tell Dianne, you have a lot to be proud of. Happy belated Birthday (May 9th) and Happy Anniversary (December 8th).

Cherry Wolf

Cherry has been Deputy Clerk in District Court in Saline County since January 6, 2003. She is married to Larry and they have 3 children, Melissa 32, Rebecca 30, and Laura 27. Happy belated Birthday (May 21st) and happy early Anniversary (October 10th).

Lori Sharp

Lori has been Chief Clerk for Newton County District Court since August 22, 2003 married to Mark for 20 years and has 2 children, Justin 19, a student at Arkansas Tech., and Aimee 16, a student at Jasper High School. She worked with her husband (who had his own business) pouring concrete in Indiana and Jasper. They have lived in Arkansas going on 7 years and so far she enjoys her job as Clerk in district Court. Happy belated Anniversary (April 16th) and Happy belated Birthday (July 16th).

Brenda Lee

Brenda has been Deputy Clerk for Bryant District Court in Saline County since February 11, 2003. Prior to becoming Clerk she was Water & Wastewater Secretary and has a son named Bryson Lee 4. Happy Birthday Brenda (November 30th).

Tambi Lewis

Tambi is Deputy Clerk for Clarksville in Johnson County and has one daughter Mariah 5.

I Would Like to Hear From You!

Thank you filling out the A.M.C.C. C.A. at the last meeting. Please keep them coming.

If you have something to say, or some witty or clever saying, let me put it in writing for you. You can fax it to (501) 354-0799, call me at (501) 354-9763, e-mail it to princesstish_51@yahoo.com, or mail it to P O Box 38, Menifee, AR 72107. Love ya’ll!

Betty Campregher

Court Clerk, Menifee

Newsletter Editor