After nearly three decades of service, Jackson County Circuit Clerk Cindy Svanda has announced her retirement, bringing an end to a 28-year tenure that began in 1996. As the community reflects on Svanda’s years in office and long-standing leadership, two candidates are now stepping forward, each with their own vision for the future of the Circuit Clerk’s office: Christian Hale and Chris Maynor.

The Circuit Clerk is responsible for maintaining court records, managing the flow of cases and providing assistance to judges. This elected position ensures the efficient operation of the judicial system.

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Chris Maynor, a Republican, is a U.S. Army veteran with 14 years of service. He said that his military experience and leadership skills will help him manage the office effectively. 

“The position is a manager leadership position. I spent 14 years in the United States Army and three tours in Iraq. So I learned the best leadership from the greatest army in the world,” Maynor said. “So I’ve got the leadership background for it, but I’ve also been training in multiple counties, how the circuit clerk’s office works and everything.”

In addition to his leadership experience, Maynor has been active in advocating for veteran-owned businesses, even testifying before Congress. 

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“I gave testimony in front of the U.S. Congress about veteran-owned businesses, and I felt that if I would be able to do that, I should be helping my community more too,” he said.

He himself has established a local business, Daniel Deans, a clothing store in Murphysboro. The store was founded with a focus on accessible, community-centered retail, offering clothing tailored to the local market.

Maynor said he believes the current Circuit Clerk’s Office is functioning well and aims to build on that foundation. 

“The Circuit Clerk’s Office is working great right now, so I just want to continue that,” he said. “With the different things coming through the courts, like the SAFE-T Act that came through last year, got rid of the bonds, we need a way to get grants to start paying our employees a little bit more and not use so much tax dollars.”

The SAFE-T Act is an Illinois law passed in 2021 aimed at criminal justice reform, focusing on police accountability, eliminating cash bail, enhancing protections for juveniles, providing mental health support and promoting community-based safety solutions.

Maynor said that grant funding represents a promising path for addressing budgetary needs regarding the act. 

“There’s a lot of grants out there we can get to. I mean, even down in Union County, the difference between Union County and Jackson County is that Jackson County pays the employees, Union County, the circuit clerk pays,” Maynor said. 

By utilizing grants, Maynor hopes to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of circuit clerk employees.

“Some of them only make $30,000 a year,” he said. “They’re doing an incredible job.”

He said his approach is beneficial not only to the staff but to the broader community, which he believes would welcome a reduced reliance on tax dollars. 

“Everybody’s complaining about taxes and stuff like that,” Maynor said. “So if we can cut down the tax money we’re spending in there without damaging anything going on good in the office, that’s what we strive for,” he said.

As part of his potential leadership strategy, Maynor is interested in getting an initial, first-hand understanding of how the office currently functions, with plans to incorporate staff input. 

“First I just want to see how the office is running, see if there’s anything changing,” he said.

He intends to meet regularly with team members as a group and individually, seeking input to ensure that decisions reflect the expertise of those directly involved in daily operations. 

Maynor said, “I plan to have team meetings and even meetings with each individual and see if they have ideals. Because they are doing the job. Who knows better than the people actually do the job? I want to see what they think would work better and then start adjusting, but it’s mostly going to be just straight going with how it’s going now.”

Maynor said he wants to remain versatile, especially in managing any future changes that may arise within the office.

“I have to be able to adapt and get our employees trained and moving forward,” he said. “We’re not moving backwards or throwing a fit about something changing, because when it comes to that, you got a lot of political stuff. It shouldn’t be political. It should be what’s best for the office and the employees there. You’ve got to take care of them.”

In terms of maintaining accountability and transparency through his position, Maynor said he emphasizes fairness and equal treatment for all residents. 

“After the election, we’re all back to Jackson residents, and everybody needs to be treated as a Jackson County resident. So just fairness to everybody, no matter what the race or creed is. I served in the army, and race is not a thing for me. We’re all Americans,” Maynor said.

In urging residents to learn more about his background and priorities, he said, “I urge them to do the research about me…with the right leadership, I know I’m the right person for the job.”

Christian Hale, a Democrat, offers experience from his time as a deputy circuit clerk, having served from 2006 to 2019. 

“I have 13 years as the deputy circuit clerk,” Hale said. “The way that I got into being a circuit clerk was, I was a cops and courts reporter and academy editor at the now-defunct Murphysboro American. And then…I caught the bug at the Daily Egyptian. Once you got it, you got the fever.”

He said that his experience as a reporter, combined with his understanding of court operations, has prepared him to take on the role of clerk, where he would be responsible for scheduling and managing the entire criminal docket and assisting the judge.

Hale has long aspired to this position, and said, “I had been planning to run probably since 2012…But what’s inspired me was that I’ve been working towards this goal for so long. I love the core work, I love public service and I love the whole process.”

Hale’s top priorities also include the budget concerns arising from the SAFE-T Act. 

Hale said, “Well, number one will be to figure out some budget concerns that will come up due to the SAFE-T Act, some budget concerns with the pages that come with that legislation. The other is just keeping the high level of service that the office has a reputation for.” 

He too praised Svanda for her leadership and service to the community.

“Cindy’s run a great office,” Hale said. “It’s been clean audits. It’s just above board, and they’re the best circuit clerk’s office in southern Illinois.”

The need to adapt to the community’s changing needs is a fundamental focus for Hale as well. He said he intends to stay open to helping people in the community with instances such as name changes or people going through gender transitions. 

If elected for office, Hale said, “I’m going to continue the level of service that I always did when I was there before, since I’ve been working as an executive assistant to one of the vice presidents at the regional healthcare organization.”

He said his experience in that role has provided him with insight into the management and operations of an organization, which he believes is essential for leading the circuit clerk’s office effectively.

“I’ve worked with this team for a lot of years. Most of the team that is there now were people that I were my colleagues and I worked with before we’ve all kind of came up together, and this is kind of a natural progression of things. So I believe that I’m going to be a pretty good leader. I think a lot of it’s because I understand these people and believe in compassion and empathy, while at the same time being assertive,” Hale said. 

He said he believes accountability comes from honesty and openness and that is integral to effective leadership.  

“When it comes to keeping transparency and accountability you just have to do it. It comes down to just keeping yourself honest and being open to people’s questions,” he said. “And the nice thing too about the modern court is everything is so digital, including the financing, that it’s a lot easier to maintain that accountability and transparency because this isn’t being done in books by somebody. It’s all right there in the open.”

As he aims to uphold the legacy of Svanda’s office, Hale emphasizes the importance of building on established trust with the community.

Hale said, “I’ve got 13 years of experience, I’m integrated with the team that’s already in there. We’re going to hit the ground running on day one, and we’re going to continue the legacy that’s been in the last 28 years.”

Election day is Nov. 5, 2024. Early voting is currently available. For information regarding in-person voting opportunities or absentee ballot applications, visit jacksoncounty-il.gov. 

Staff reporter Annalise Schmidt can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.

Social Media Caption: After nearly three decades, Jackson County Circuit Clerk Cindy Svanda is retiring, and candidates Christian Hale and Chris Maynor are stepping up with their plans for the office. Learn more about their priorities ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5.

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