Susan Brooke Ripley, 56, of Beaverlett has announced her candidacy for Mathews County Clerk of Circuit Court.

If elected, Ripley said she intends to maintain the well-run record room that Mathews has had for many years. “We’ve had a well-run process so long that I think people take it for granted,” she said.

Not all record rooms are as well-managed as in Mathews, said Ripley. She said she’s examined titles in record rooms from Fredericksburg to Newport News, and sometimes records are filed incorrectly, creating issues for people as they conduct business. Sometimes clerks aren’t as helpful as they should be, she said.

“Mr. (Eugene) Callis ran the best courthouse in the area, and Angie (Ingram) carried it on with such grace,” she said. “My goal is to continue to have a well-run office where people can find things; where the records are secure, and we’re helpful and kind and make sure the citizens are at the forefront of our mind.”

Ripley also wants to be a good steward of ta...