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Deputy clerk to run for Alsdorf’s seat

Donna GrayPost Independent Staff

Marian Clayton has announced she will run for election for Garfield County Clerk and Recorder. Long time clerk and recorder Mildred Alsdorf announced earlier this year she will retire after 27 years in the office. Clayton, a Republican, is the deputy clerk and administrative secretary to the Board of County Commissioners and the Deputy Registrar of Vital Records. She has worked in the county clerk’s office for 10 years.Clayton said she has planned to run for Alsdorf’s job for many years.”I was just thinking about (it) as each year went by,” she said.While she praised Alsdorf’s tenure in the office, Clayton said there is also room for improvement. Services within the office need to be departmentalized.”We need leaders within the organization you can delegate to,” she said.She would also revamp the election judges positions.”We are going to totally computerized voting,” Clayton said, which was mandated by the Colorado Secretary of State to be in place by 2007. She’d like to see judges who are familiar with computers.”I’d look at college kids’ they’re so computer literate,” she said.With electronic voting machines and a statewide voter registration system, a person who works in Aspen and lives in New Castle could vote in Carbondale, Clayton said.If elected, she would work to computerize land use records so they can be accessed online. Some land use information is currently available on the county Web site, but not the complete documents.”People are looking forward to (our) doing (that) so they don’t have to drive up here from Denver to do (land record) research,” she said.Also in the works for the office is a new software system for the motor vehicles department that is set to be installed next year.”It’s going to take training for all the clerks,” Clayton said. The state called off the computer update last year in part because of a statewide social services software upgrade that had multiple problems.”They still haven’t perfected the computer system. They want to make sure all kinks are out,” she said.She would also offer staff opportunities for personal and professional development.”I think that’s really important for whatever they want to do,” she said.Above all, Clayton said she would preserve the bipartisan nature of the office which Alsdorf maintained.”I think Mildred has done a great job at that over the years,” Clayton said.Clayton, who lives in New Castle, graduated from Colorado Mountain College in 1995 and Regis University in 1997 with a bachelor degree in criminal justice. She has been an active member of the Community Corrections Board for eight years. She is also pursuing a masters degree in public administration through the University of Colorado.Clayton is the mother of four grown children and adopted and raised three grandchildren.She has a broad background in business and was the owner of a 24-hour computerized answering service serving clients from Glenwood Springs to Aspen and Vail. She worked in federal government programs providing recruitment of women and minorities for construction trades. She also headed community programs for Adams County that included Head Start, youth development, energy and senior programs.Clayton is enthusiastic about running for election.”I’m really geared up for this. I have enough energy and enthusiasm. I’m ready for it,” she said.Contact Donna Gray: 945-8515, ext. 510dgray@postindependent.com


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