Q&A with Lamar County Clerk candidate Le Andra Border Maughon

---

This election season, the Lamar County Clerk seat is being contested by Le Andra Border Maughon. She answered the following questions regarding her attempt to unseat current clerk Ruth Sisson. We sent Sisson the same questions, but received no response.

How will you maintain the confidentiality and security of the information you work with?

• Maintaining a secure & confidential records office is the responsibility of the County Clerk. There are records that are transparent; however, certain records are not accessible to the public. The office will be managed to ensure that all information is filed timely, correctly per state laws, and no access allowed unless proper authorization is provided.

 

What would your definition of good service be?

• I want the people to know that the County Clerk works for the people. Being available, communicating clearly, empathy and patience with others, are all character traits I work with daily. I would define “good service” as an expectation of all individuals to be treated respectfully and to walk away with a positive experience. I want everyone to feel they are a priority and that they leave with a feeling of assurance that their needs were met.

 

How will you organize your workload?

• I personally use organization tools such as a Franklin Planner, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar to schedule and prioritize my daily workload. I also use systems that allow inner-office visibility to my work schedule and required meeting times.

 

What new efficiencies will you bring to the office?

• I believe that the County Clerk’s office should remain open to the public during regular business hours. Many of our residents have only a limited amount of off time during the day to address personal matters, normally during lunch hours. With the current staffing level, the office is more than adequately capable of remaining open and being more accommodating to fulfill the needs of the people of Lamar County.

 

What should be the qualities of a county clerk?

• I believe the County Clerk should be open, honest, available, and trustworthy. They should also be efficient and knowledgeable in their job responsibilities. Properly scheduling of personnel, delegating, managing tasks, organization, prioritizing and being able to adjust as needed. I will never leave a task incomplete, even if that means coming into work early or staying late, the people of Lamar County come first.

 

What will be your method for ensuring that all court records stay up to date?

• I will utilize CDCA.texas.com to stay up to date and for reference resources. This includes seeking continuous education, learning the current system, and utilizing software that has been made available to the office by the County and State.

 

What do you think about teamwork and how do you plan to keep your team motivated?

• I love the phrase “Teamwork makes the dream work”! Effective leadership is bringing a team together to achieve a common goal. A leader will demonstrate integrity, will lead by example, and share a vision that brings cohesiveness to a group. I believe in encouraging personnel to accept new challenges and to become diversified in their role. I strive to create a dynamic work environment that is both challenging and rewarding and I also strongly deem recognition as a positive necessity to improve work performance and longevity. It’s important to recognize the team for their value as well as appreciating their families.

 

Rate your communication skills on a scale of 1 to 10 and can you give an example that demonstrates your rating?

• I would like to say I communicate at a 10, but I’m sure my husband might say differently. An example of my communication skills would be that I proudly stood in front of a group of voters and effectively laid out my goals and intentions as the next Lamar County Clerk. I am comfortable in front of people while speaking for myself, in a group, or on the behalf of others. In Lamar County, I am involved in several non-profits, private, and political organizations where I must effectively communicate privately or with the public.

 

What makes you the better candidate?

• I believe that I will bring a positive change to Lamar County, reduce excess expenses by restructuring procedures between the Courtroom and the Clerk’s office as well as making the office available during normal working business hours. The taxpayers of Lamar County deserve better because they are worth it!