Rockne Clarke retires as clerk of courts after 32 years of service

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • November 11, 2011
  • 423
                        
Summary: Tuscarawas County will not be the same without longtime Clerk of Courts, Rockne Clarke at the courthouse. After 32 years as Clerk of Courts, Clarke said it is time to step down so he can enjoy the company of his family more including his parents. Tuscarawas County Commissioners Chris Abbuhl and Jim Seldenright accepted his resignation and thanked him for his years of service on Nov.10. Rockne Clarke, longtime Tuscarawas County Clerk of Courts announced his retirement to the Tuscarawas County commissioners on Thursday, Nov. 10. An emotional Clarke presented a letter of resignation to Commissioners Chris Abbuhl and Jim Seldenright and expressed the decision was one that was bittersweet. “It has been a pleasure to serve the people of Tuscarawas County. I have mixed emotions as I stand here today,” said Clarke. “The feeling you get in public service is hard to top and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’m going to miss that.” Having served in the position 32 years, Clarke has been elected eight times and is in his ninth term as clerk. “I started working in the Clerk of Courts office in January of 1976 as a CETA employee,” said Clark. The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) was a program introduced under President Jimmy Carter to help the unemployed find work. “I had never dreamed of this type of work. As a part of that job program you were given public employment while you continued to look for work.” Clarke did find a job with the State of Ohio Bureau of Employment Services and was prepared to move to Elyria. After turning in his two-week notice, Robert Moore, the current Clerk of Courts invited him to the old Colonial Pitcher restaurant. “I had given my resignation so I assumed this was his way of saying so long,” said Clarke. When he arrived, Moore was there with Howard “Bud” Mercer, the county Democratic Party chairman at the time. “They said they had laid a future out for me and it was a future I had never imagined.” Moore explained he was not going to seek reelection when his term was up. “He asked me to reconsider my resignation and stay on as chief deputy and then replace him as clerk,” said Clark. Clarke said even though the state job in Elyria paid more, Tuscarawas County was his home and he never regrets staying. Clarke suggested the commissioners appoint his current chief deputy, Jeanne Stephen, as his replacement. She would serve as interim clerk until the Tuscarawas County Democratic Central Committee can meet and fill his unexpired term, which ends in January 2013. “She has filed petitions to run for the position. I have been working with her to let her see and understand the things that I do. I firmly believe she is well qualified and she would be the best person to have that appointment,” said Clarke. Clarke said he and his staff have faced challenges over the years. “Moving the office from the old pen and pencil and typewriter and docket books into new technology to keep Tuscarawas County in the forefront; that technology is changing so fast, to me it is exciting,” said Clark. At 62, Clarke is fortunate to still have his parents. “I want to be able to spend a little time with them. I want to be able to take them to Florida like I do every year but be able to spend more time with them,” said Clarke. Commissioner Abbuhl thanked Clarke for his years of service and said, “You have done a good job and the people have recognized that.” Clarke said he will miss the people most of all. “In public service you can’t please everyone but cutting through bureaucracy to help people has always been something I enjoyed. I will miss that and I will miss the people I have worked with here. I am very grateful for them,” said Clarke. Clarke’s resignation is effective Nov. 30, 2011.


Loading next article...

End of content

No more pages to load