Keith Brin: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: Highland ParkWebsite: http://www.keithbrin.comOffice sought: Lake Clerk of the Circuit CourtAge: 39Family: Married to Courtney. We live in Highland Park with our three children: Sheridan, Hudson and Arden, and our dog Bagel.Occupation: An attorney and business executive, I am the Chief Deputy for the Lake County Circuit Court Clerk.Education: Bachelor of Science Degree and a Masters Degree in Public Health with a specialization in Health Policy and Management from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia; JD from the Loyola University School of LawCivic involvement: Chairs, Technology Committee for the Lake County Bar Association; Co-Chair, Emory University Alumni Interviewing Program; Board Member, Distinguished Giving Advisory Council for the American Cancer Society; Chair, Mentorship Committee for the Executives' Club of Chicago; Assistant Coach, Loyola University Chicago School of Law National Mock Trial Team; Vice Chair and Committeeman; Moraine Township Republicans; Event and Political Director, Lake County Young RepublicansElected offices held: N/AHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 My first campaign issue is to modernize the Clerk's office to improve efficiency and reduce costs to taxpayers. We must embrace technology to improve efficiency. By allowing the electronic filing of documents, we can continue to streamline processes, improve compatibility, and seamlessly integrate our systems with those used by the people that we serve. This will allow us and the legal community to reduce costs, passing those saving on to the taxpayers of Lake County.Key Issue 2 Second, we need to utilize technology to improve customer service and increase access security. By effectively utilizing technology, we can provide universal access to the services and documents that are currently only accessible at the Clerk's counter in Waukegan. Instituting processes that allow e-filing and immediate access to court documents and information will provide 24 hour access to our office, improving our customer service while increase accessibility and convenience. By upgrading to a paper on demand system, rather than paper by requirement, we can immediately transmit documents while improving security.Key Issue 3 Finally, but just as importantly, I pledge to maintain the Lake County tradition of fiscal discipline accountability. Lake County has a tradition of fiscal discipline, and our taxpayers demand that we spend their money responsibly and transparently. We will continue the tradition of careful management of office finances. We understand that we are accountable to the citizens of Lake County for every dollar and every decision, and therefore must plan for the future and contain costs while searching for opportunities to reduce our budget.Questions Answers How can the clerk's office improve public access to court documents and other court information? Be specific.Since becoming Chief Deputy I've spearheaded the creation of an electronic filing system that is comprehensive in its approach to improving access, security and automation. I'm a proponent of remote access to court records and documents in real time from anywhere, and one of my main priorities is to utilize technology to create a seamless connection between the courts and those utilizing the courts.How can the clerk's office best participate in the discussion of construction of new court facilities'We are currently involved in every step along with the judges and other County departments, and that needs to continue. If a new court facility is going to work well it will require significant input from the hub of the courts: the Circuit Clerk. Handling the flow of those using our Office, the logistics of transporting and handling court files, and other court-related functions are critical to determining the success of any new court facility, and when I am elected we will continue to excitedly participate.What improvements can be made in the efficiency of operations in the office in light of budget cutbacks' Be specific.The office is run cost effectively: we do not spend more money to operate the office than we take in. We never have, and when elected I can guarantee that while I am in office we never will. Right now we have the personnel we need to perform tasks effectively across multiple locations, handling tremendous numbers of court files, and securely handling and processing money for the courts. As we continue to implement technological improvements, we will be able to reduce our overhead which is a savings that we can pass on to the taxpayers.Outgoing clerk Sally Coffelt has had family members on the payroll. What is your view on hiring relatives and friends' If elected, would you consider having all employees reapply for their jobs' Why or why not?I have no plans to hire any member of my family for the office. I am not related to anyone in the office, nor have I considered hiring any relatives. Since I currently serve as Chief Deputy there will be no need for our clerks to reapply for their jobs; I get to see our employees on a day-to-day basis and am keenly aware of our staffing, our staffing needs, and our staffing capabilities. In my experience Lake County has the finest staff of clerks as any in Illinois, but of course should I be entrusted by the voters with the Clerk's position I will ensure that the best possible staff is in place to serve the public in the most efficient and effective manner possible.Given that the clerk's computer system doesn't allow a visitor to look up a case with just a last name, what should be done to fund a more user-friendly system? How would you make that happen? If not, why not?We definitely need a more user-friendly interface to our system, and it is actually something that is currently being designed. While our current system caters to office operations, it sacrifices intuitive use for stability, speed and reliability. Any remote access will involve a more user-friendly interface designed to allow users to more intuitively access court records, and this will be a priority for me as Circuit Court Clerk.