No fourth term for Robinson
By Ryan Whisner rwhisner@dailyunion.com | Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2018
JEFFERSON — Jefferson County Clerk of Circuit Courts Carla Robinson will not be seeking a fourth term in office.
She has served as the clerk of courts since 2006, having succeeded the late Kenneth Schopen in the position.
“I have had an amazing career in the justice community of Jefferson County,” Robinson said.
At the conclusion of her current term, she will have been active in public service for a total of 35 years, with the last 12 as the clerk of courts.
“I am honored that the citizens of Jefferson County chose me to serve as their clerk of circuit court, but the time has come for me to pursue full-time my passion for cooking as my husband and I expand our catering business (Carla’s Catering),” Robinson said.
She was first elected to the position in 2006, defeating two Republicans in the primary and winning the general election.
“I leave the office in good hands,” Robinson said, referring to the coinciding announcement that her chief deputy clerk, Cindy Hamre Incha, is declaring her candidacy for the position.
A Town of Sumner resident, Hamre Incha has served as deputy clerk for more than 20 years and is in her fourth year as Robinson’s chief deputy.
“I am honored to be part of the Jefferson County Circuit Court system,” Hamre Incha said. “For more than 20 years, I have been dedicated to the Clerk of Circuit Courts Office and I am proud of the work that is being done there.”
She pointed out that within Jefferson County government, department heads are encouraged to have succession plans in place to ensure that office coverage needs are met and smooth transition occurs when the department head leaves.
“That philosophy is more difficult in an elected official’s office, as the voters choose the successor,” Hamre Incha said. “In my role as chief deputy, I have understood that the mentoring and training I received included the expectation that when the time came, I would step up to the challenge and take on the additional responsibilities by pursuing the elected position.
“While Carla has an amazing passion for the law and the courts, she has now decided to pursue and dedicate her time to her other passions — her family and catering,” she said. “As a clerk, she required accuracy and attention to detail. I am confident that I have the experience, training and knowledge to be the next clerk of circuit court and am optimistic that the voters of Jefferson County will allow me the that opportunity.”
Hamre Incha acknowledged that technology, law and recent judicial changes have created an always-changing environment in the clerk’s office.
“Transitioning to a paperless, eFiling system has changed how court records are kept,” Hamre Incha said. “I look forward to taking on the challenges that continued modernization will bring and hope to ensure that Jefferson County continues to be on the forefront of planning, piloting and implementation of statewide court advancements.”
She noted that state statutes define the role of the clerk of circuit courts as the keeper of the record for the courts.
“The Office of the Director of State Courts develops ‘best practices’ for the counties and oversees the computer system (CCAP) used statewide by court staff and eFiling users,” Hamre Incha said. “Beyond that, the day-to-day operations of the clerk’s office is administered by the clerk in each county in cooperation with and in response to the needs of the courts. I take great pride in my ability to adapt to the ever changing needs of the courts.”
Continuing, she added that her years serving as deputy clerk have provided her with the opportunity to develop a knowledge base and experience working with every case type in either a primary or secondary role.
“This currently also includes working on the jury management system,” Hamre Incha said. “Jury service is an area that I really want to review and take a hard look at the process. While jury service is a civil duty and obligation under the statutes, it is also a very real inconvenience for many and true hardship on some. I am optimistic that further review of the overall system will find potential ways to reduce the burdensome impacts of service.”