Yesterday, the McConnell Scholars and I had a special opportunity to meet with the Circuit Clerk of Jefferson County, David Nicholson. He is the first guest of our 'Local Leaders' ELO (Extended Learning Opportunities) which was created to bring in community leaders to share their experiences with us. It also gives us a chance to discuss the challenges facing Louisville and Kentucky.
Many of us weren't exactly sure what the Circuit Clerk's office specifically did. He quickly explained why it was so important. The office brings in 34 million dollars a year and has 329 employees. "If you were a stockholder in a company this big, you would want to pay attention to what's going on there. In a way everyone in Jefferson County has stock in my office- their tax dollars."
The Circuit Clerk is in charge of collecting fines, issuing driver licenses, and signing off on criminal and civil judgments. Many people don't realize that with "one stroke of a pen, we could take your liberties away." That is why it is important to elect accountable officials at all levels of government.
Nicholson has had a wide range of jobs, from representing NFL players to being the Executive Director of the Louisville Metro Criminal Justice Commission. He mentioned when he was our age he had little idea of what he wanted to do, and he mostly just worked hard and took opportunities as they came.
He believed his success has come from having the ability listen, being detail oriented, having a personal touch when it came to communication... and a little bit of luck.
It was a great event and I am very excited for our future local guests.