About Pam Hill:
 
Dear Fellow Citizens and Friends,

It is hard to believe that four years have passed since I was so privileged to be elected your Clerk of Superior Court. I am a working Clerk and remain in the office on a daily basis. My experience now allows me to understand more fully what I knew going into the job: our Clerk’s Office impacts the lives of every Citizen of Randolph County at some given time. I have been and remain committed to ensure that impact is positive.

I strive to hold hearings fairly and resolve contested issues justly, devoting to each case the time and attention it requires. We work hard to deal with the record number of foreclosure cases humanely and with due process, within the structure of the law. Understanding what is at stake, I have a policy of conducting incompetency hearings in the presence of the Respondent (the person whose competence is at issue), whenever reasonably possible, whether it means holding the hearing in a hospital or care facility. We understand that when surviving families deal with matters of Decedents’ Estates, it is emotional and difficult, and we try to make them comfortable and assist them to the extent we are allowed within the law. I have also tried to meet personally with each criminal and civil jury which has reported for service since I have been in office, to thank them for their important service to the justice system and help them feel comfortable in their courthouse.

During the last four years, I have worked to provide each Assistant and Deputy Clerk with direct desk computer access for data input and retrieval. I have also worked to ensure our courtrooms are equipped with efficient technology for recording of proceedings and access to information. With the cooperation and support of our Randolph County Government, we are in the process of acquiring a new technologically advanced system to facilitate juror notification and support which will save work hours and money for Randolph County taxpayers.

I have tried to work closely with and support our Law Enforcement Officers in Randolph County, maintaining contact with our Sheriff and the Chiefs of each agency. Our Office works hard to process criminal charges efficiently. Whether providing information in person or by phone or going to the office on a night or weekend to provide an original Governor’s Warrant to our jail for extradition of a defendant to another state, we make ourselves available to assist.

The work produced in your Clerk’s Office is a result of thirty-three capable and dedicated Assistant and Deputy Clerks, with whom I have the pleasure to work. Each is a resident and taxpayer of Randolph County, and I work with everyone on performance reviews through individual goals and objectives. The economic downturn we have all experienced in recent years has resulted in strained state resources and restrictions on hiring for vacant positions. In the face of such shortages, working overtime, our Clerks have maintained an extraordinary commitment and continued to staff every scheduled session of Randolph’s Criminal and Civil Courts and process an ever increasing number of new filings. In 2009, our Civil Clerks maintained records for 3,700 new (including Family Court Domestic) cases, while our Criminal Clerks maintained records for over 14,000 new criminal cases and 3,800 (traffic) infractions. Our Estates Division presided over more than 1,100 new Estate cases opened in 2009. These numbers do not include Special Proceedings or Juvenile cases. Our Bookkeeping Office received and distributed or held and invested more than $13,000,000.00 in one recent fiscal year, including restitution paid to Victims, fines paid to our School Boards, Court costs and monies maintained/invested for Minors.

As you can tell, our office is very busy and carries great responsibility. We deal with many citizens in the courthouse and over the phone on a daily basis. I continue to insist that we treat our citizens fairly and with respect. While we are human and, like anyone, make mistakes, we try to address any called to our attention immediately and forthrightly, while I work to establish policies for our office to try and ensure efficiency and competence. I continue to work on further initiatives to improve our office and better serve our citizenry, including implementation of the new NC AWARE (central access to all outstanding orders for arrests) program for community safety and provision of resources to our county funeral homes to better assist families to prepare to deal with the estates of loved ones.

Over my years as an elected School Board member and as your elected Clerk, I have maintained a passion for public service. That passion continues to fuel me today. I believe that our Clerk’s Office is the ultimate opportunity in our county for me to be a public servant. Running a county-wide campaign is a real challenge. My family and I are working to reach as many of Randolph County’s Citizens as we can to personally and respectfully ask you for your vote. I need your support. Please vote for me in the Primary on May 4th, 2010. I pledge to continue to work hard for the privilege to be able to serve as your Clerk of Superior Court.

Thank You.
Yours Very Truly,

Pam Hill