Ruth Gordon's speech to the Committee Precinct Officers - June 23, 2005
Ruth addressed the PCO’s to request that they authorize and certify her as the Democratic Candidate for County Clerk in the September, 2005 Primary Election.
 My name is Ruth Gordon and I have the honor of serving you as your Jefferson County Clerk.
For those who don’t know, as the Clerk I am responsible for the records of our Superior Court. It’s my job to oversee the monies that flow through the registry of the court to third parties, and to manage the personnel, funds and budget of the Clerk's office. We are also charged with jury management for Superior and District Court, and with collecting Legal Financial Obligations.
As your incumbent, I was scrutinized and chosen last January through a scrupulously fair process that resulted in my unanimous bipartisan appointment to the position I hold.
Tonight it is my task to come to my party, the Democratic Party, and formally ask for your authorization to file as a Democrat in the upcoming special election.
As elected officials of our party, you are the people who are charged with considering my qualifications.
I ask that you
- Review my resume, and weigh the diligence to duty I have shown while in office.
- Look at the collaborative relationships of mutual respect I have forged with many of my fellow County employees.
- Know that I have established successful mentoring relationships with many of my peers in the Washington State Association of County Clerks, and with our support team at the Administrative Office of the Courts.
I ask you to be aware that in the five months I’ve been in charge our customers report that the Clerk’s office continues to provide consistently professional, high quality service.
Consider also that before the end of the year, possibly before the end of this summer:
- we will have a new jury management system in place,
- we’ll have accomplished digital and microfilmed backups of paper documents, eliminating the backlog that existed when I took office,
- we’ll have begun a more aggressive effort to collect restitution for crime victims,
- and we will have improved our compliance with accounting measures required by law.
Finally, I would hope you recognize the value of the good faith I have kept and will continue to keep with our Democratic Commissioners and with you, my political party.
I am the County Clerk, but I am an outsider in the courthouse. Personally, I think it is a good thing for the public that our Commissioners saw fit to assure that we would have a fresh professional perspective and truly independent leadership in the Clerk’s office, as designed in our state’s Constitution.
But change is stressful for everyone, even necessary change. There is no question that my appointment came as a surprise to some, who didn’t know me. Nonetheless, since I took office I have won the respect of many people who were skeptical when I first came on the scene. How did I do that?
I learn fast,
I work hard,
I pitch in and work side by side with my staff.
I treat people fairly,
I address the difficult issues,
I do what I say I am going to do.
I continually look for ways to provide an efficient return on the public’s investment.
I am committed to provide fair, open, accessible service in the Clerk’s office in support of the ideal of equal justice for all.
As your County Clerk I have a full appreciation of the demands of this job, and am well acquainted with the individuals involved. I am the person you want doing this work.
I will win this seat for the Democrats in the general election. And you can trust absolutely in my fidelity to the mission of my office, to the values of my party, and to my commitment to public service.
On a separate but related topic I want to acknowledge that there has been dissention of late in our party. I understand it, but I feel there is an urgent need for us to come together now in support of the Democratic platform at the local, state, and national levels.
I ask that we all remember why we are Democrats, and turn to our fellow party members with the intent to mend divisions, rebuild trust, find our common purpose and when we put our shoulders to the wheel, let’s all push in the same direction. Let’s keep our eyes on the prize and work together. The Jefferson County Democratic Party is what we make it. Let’s make it a principled, powerful, and effective organization.
|
