I am Kirk M. Whittle, and I am running for the position of Frederick County Circuit Court Clerk. Born and raised, and a lifelong citizen of Frederick County, I currently reside in Stephens City, Virginia. I believe in the mission statement of Frederick First, that the citizens of Frederick County come first, not loyalty to a particular political party. These words are especially applicable to the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
I have been employed with the Frederick County Circuit Court since 2006, and in the sixteen years since I was hired, I have had the privilege to learn from and be trained by the current Clerk of the Court, Rebecca P. Hogan, who has entrusted me with the great responsibility of replacing her upon her retirement in January. The Code of Virginia lists over 800 responsibilities and duties for the Clerk, many of which are legally sophisticated and highly complex. The duties include but are not limited to public safety, court services, recorder of deeds, probate judge, custodian of court cases, public services, preservation of historic records, keeper of election ballots and law library maintenance. The quantity of work required from the Clerk’s Office is staggering and will only continue to grow as the population of Frederick County rises. Because of this, it is necessary that the next Frederick County Circuit Court Clerk is highly trained and experienced to guarantee a smooth transition in January and continue with the quality of work the Frederick County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office is known for. In addition to the duties and responsibilities needed for the position of Frederick County Circuit Court Clerk, the understanding of other departments in the County is vital to running the Clerk’s Office. Since 2006, I have built incredible relationships with the offices and employees of the General and Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courts, Offices of the Frederick County and Commonwealth’s Attorney, Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office, Treasurer’s Office, Winchester-Frederick County Bar Association, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, District 11 Probation & Parole, Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center, Virginia State Police, and the Division of Social Services, as well as local marriage officiants, local real estate processors and title searchers, and many others who all rely and depend on our office running at an effective and expedient level. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the office staff currently in place. I may be biased, but I do believe this office is the most efficient Clerk’s Office in the State. The support they have shown me in making my decision has been incredible. I was lucky to be raised in a family who dedicated themselves to public service. My parents, Mark, and Cindy Whittle were both public school teachers in Frederick County and later became public school administrators, Mark a principal at Admiral Byrd Middle School in Frederick County and Cindy at A.S. Rhodes Elementary in Warren County. My brother Ryan is currently a teacher at R.E. Aylor Middle School in Frederick County. And my uncle, Terry Whittle, was a long-time employee and former Clerk of the Winchester Circuit Court. I graduated from Sherando High School in 2001, hold a BA in sociology, and am currently pursuing a master’s in legal studies from West Virginia University. Additionally, I have completed hundreds of hours of coursework and training through various departments, including the Virginia Supreme Court, the US Department of State, and the Department of Taxation, all of which relate directly to this job. In 2015 I was certified and recognized by the Virginia Court Clerk’s Association the title of “Master Deputy Circuit Court Clerk” after completing all continued education and eligibility criteria, and in 2016 I was certified and recognized by the National Center for State Courts for achieving the status of “Certified Court Manager” which included 120 hours of in-person training and coursework, among other requirements. |
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