The operations director of Chattanooga’s family organization First Things First wants to change the way Hamilton County’s Juvenile Court is run.
Gary Behler, a Republican, is trying to beat current Juvenile Court Clerk Ron Swafford in the Aug. 5 general election. It will be the first time Mr. Swafford, a Democrat, faces competition for his job in the 12 years since he first was elected.
In discussing Juvenile Court with the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Mr. Behler said he wants to replace antiquated equipment, squash what he called a culture of “fiscal irresponsibility” and revamp customer service so the public will have a positive relationship with the system.
PDF: Gary Behler announcement
All those issues, he said, live or die with the court clerk, whose traditional job is to keep accurate court records.