Chief judge to make final appointment
The Polk County Democratic Executive Committee nominated Pam Hyder to fill the position of Polk County Clerk of Superior Court, which will become vacant at the end of the year.
Polk County Clerk of Superior Court Charlene Owens will retire on Dec. 31 after working in the office for almost 35 years.
Owens worked as an assistant clerk prior to winning the clerk position in 1998 and was re-elected to three four-year terms.
The executive committee met Thursday, Nov. 3 and selected Hyder from three nominated candidates with a majority vote.
Other candidates nominated for the position were assistant clerk Sheila Jackson and county magistrate Lionel Gilbert.
Assistant clerk Hyder has worked in the clerk’s office since 1994.
The final appointment will be made by resident senior superior court Judge Mark Powell. It is not known when Powell will make the appointment.
Once Powell has made the appointment, the appointee will serve until the county’s 2012 election, when the person who will fill Owens’ unexpired term will be elected.
Owens’ term does not expire until 2014, so whoever wins the position in 2012 will have to run again in 2014 for a regular four-year term.
The Democratic executive committee is made up of 35 members, including all elected Democratic officials in the county, precinct chairs and vice-chairs and executive committee officers. There were 33 executive committee members who attended last week’s meeting to make Hyder’s nomination.