Editor’s Note: Today The DAILY LEADER continuesits special question-and-answer series with candidates in thechancery clerk’s race. All three candidates are participating.

Explain what you would do to ensure this county officeis operated in the most efficient and cost effectivemanner?

Tillmon Bishop: The chancery clerk’s officeserves as county treasurer and county auditor, therefore, workingin cooperation with our county administrator helps create a budgetthat is cost efficient. Protecting the office budget, that is, notspending tax dollars on unnecessary items and insuring the bestpossible prices on the items that are necessary, is extremelyimportant. One of this term’s accomplishments in the chanceryclerk’s office is to reduce the number of full time employees fromsix to five, while still serving the taxpaying public in aneffective way. This office has kept overtime hours at a minimum.This speaks highly of the employees we have.

In addition, our health insurance cost has experienced a 3percent decrease as opposed to an average 20 percent increase inprevious years. This is primarily due to the county being partiallyself-funded with our insurance program. We also, as of the year2000, are able to use four bank depositories in Brookhaven toensure the highest rate of return for county funds as opposed toone depository in prior years. This will be of particularimportance when rates rise in the future. The imaging of recordsand documents has allowed for long-term savings of copying expense,books expense and additions to the building due to limited space,while providing a safe and accessible location for records. Withthe overall county operational budget percentage being reduced asthe years go by, it is particularly important to maximize the taxdollar.

Charlie Hart: There are established methodsavailable to increase efficiency. Verifying that employeesunderstand job requirements and have the proper training and skillswill promote an efficient workplace. Providing the proper tools todo the job at hand increases efficiency. Keeping expenses at aminimum, along with purchasing goods and services from competitiveand lowest bids, helps to keep costs at a minimum. Running anefficient office or business uses the same basic principle asmaintaining a home and family. A penny saved is a penny earned.Waste not and want not.

L. Ralph Smith: Check, double-check everythingthat involves county finances and all other aspects of countybusiness.

Monday: Candidates for Supervisor District Twoanswer questions.