E.W. Scripps employee Sandra Clark covered a forum for the upcoming races out in Halls. I found some interest in what Clark reported concerning the race for County Clerk between Foster Arnett and Mike Padgett.
Clark reported that Arnett cited saving $19,000 a year ($152,000 over an eight-year lease) by closing the Clerk’s office at Knoxville Center Mall and moving into a former jewelry store just west of the mall. “You really don’t have to leave your home to do business with the Clerk’s office,” Arnett said, listing services available online.
Wait! If you don’t have to leave your home to do business with the Clerk’s office. Why did he grow government by expanding the Clerk’s office from a small mall spot to a full serve jewelry store. If there is no reason to leave home to do business with the Clerk’s office, Arnett should be reducing all offices and minimizing operations.
Clark reported about Mike Padgett’s presentation.
Padgett sprang like a tiger. Long lines are “ridiculous” in the Clerk’s offices, he said, promising to keep all offices open until 5:30 p.m. with at least one open until 9.
“There are limited services online. You can’t get a marriage license or a passport. … We need to improve our greatest asset, the morale of the people who work at the Clerk’s office.”
Padgett said when he was Clerk he handled car titles for all 95 counties, bringing revenue and jobs to Knox County that Arnett has lost.
“What cost is service?” he asked. “You can’t put a price on it.” He said Arnett has had 30 percent turnover in his four-year term.
Padgett’s pledge: reduce long lines, extend hours of service, improve employee morale, and regain state and federal contracts to generate excess fees.
