As Vince Dean seeks success in the Republican primary for the upcoming Hamilton County Criminal Court Clerk election, he said his 12-year incumbency weighs heavily on his shoulders.
Dean, 67, wants to ensure the employees he’s invested in continue to have a good working environment, he said. His public service career, spanning stints as a police officer, a member of the East Ridge City Council — later its mayor — and a state representative, has been a privilege he doesn’t take for granted.
“I can’t recall a time since 1979 when I went to work at the Chattanooga Police Department that I haven’t been serving the public,” he said. “I don’t take it lightly.”
He wants another four-year term as the Criminal Court’s chief record keeper, overseeing three departments. The position manages 58 employees who, among other tasks, handle paperwork and collect fines and costs, according to the clerk’s website.
Dean faces a Republican primary challenge from Archie Currence. Early voting begins Wednesday and closes April 30. The primary election is May 5, and the winner will face Democrat Aaliyah Hakeem on Aug. 6 in the general election.
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At 3 years old, Dean was left at South Seminole Drive in Chattanooga, he said, and a Baptist minister adopted and raised him. He studied at Baylor in high school and attended a few local colleges while working as a police officer. Life got in the way of finishing his degree, he said.
In August 2014, he beat 20-year Criminal Court clerk incumbent Gwen Tidwell by nearly 5,000 votes, with post-election tensions high. He’s not added any new positions and doesn’t intend to unless state legislature forces a reevaluation of that, he said.
He balances between keeping good employees and keeping salaries low, possibly the lowest average among county employees, he said. When he started, he had to ask the county to help fund his office’s budget, Dean said. Now, with a $5 million annual budget, he said the office typically deposits $6 million a year.
“Why is that important?” he asked. “Because if we don’t collect, and we don’t do our job in collecting, then that comes out of your pocket.”
When he worked in the state legislature, he helped pass laws that he said have been successful for clerks across the state, like settling 5-year-old debt from court-ordered and state-mandated fees and costs for 50% off. Still, the job is more than understanding the law.
“A good clerk has to be personable,” he said. “Everything is not black and white when it comes to dealing with people. There are issues where you have to move into the gray and listen to people and see what their reasoning for things is.”
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During his tenure, he’s created one-stop payment and expungement centers for the public’s convenience, and his office has released an app, he said. Daily, he strives to maintain a respectful, approachable office culture and be present, he said.
He’s active in the clerks and county officials associations and helps workshop clerk legislation across the state, he said. With that networking, he’s able to pick up the phone and get questions answered, he said, as many attorneys have his cell and can call day or night.
At the beginning of April, Dean had about $30,000 on hand in campaign funds, according to his most recent finance disclosure. The largest contributions include $1,900 from Texas attorney Justin Brom, $1,500 from retiree Richard Hutsell and $1,000 from attorney Bryan Hoss.
Other donations include $500 from Carlos Bail Bonding, $500 from attorney Logan Davis, $500 from Judge Alex McVeagh, $500 from Judge Lila Statom, $250 from state Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Ridge, $250 from Register of Deeds Marc Gravitt and $100 from Steve Smith, the county’s elected public defender.
It’s hard to settle on a single metaphor to explain what a court clerk’s role is, Dean said. Some days, the job is putting out fires or counseling employees, while other days, it’s working a budget like a mathematician.
“You’ve got to be like a live oak tree,” he said. “You’ve got to have branches everywhere, looking over everything, but then you’ve got to be rooted so that when one of those branches comes down, it doesn’t pull the whole tree over.”
Contact courts reporter Mason Edwards at medwards@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6409.
Note: This story was updated June 25 to correct the spelling of Judge Alex McVeagh’s name.