Voters in the City of Dowagiac will be help decide more than just Dowagiac Union Schools’ pair of bond proposals during Election Day Tuesday.

City residents will also be voting for the office of the city clerk that day, with current office holder Jane Phillipson Wilson running against write-in candidate Melissa Clanton.

According to the City of Dowagiac Charter, the city clerk functions as the official record keeper for the Dowagiac city council, planning commission and other city boards and commissions. The office holder also oversees voter registration in the city, and serves as an ombudsman between citizens and city administration.

The clerk serves a four-year term.

 

Jane Phillipson Wilson, the current office holder, is native of Dowagiac. She graduated from Dowagiac Union High School in 1973, and studied at Michigan State University before attending The University of Michigan Law School, where she graduated in 1984. The retired attorney has served as the city clerk since March, appointed by city council to replace retiring office holder James Snow.

 

Why are you running for city clerk?

I was appointed in March to finish the term of Mr. Snow who had been in the position for many years and was beloved in the community. It was my understanding that I would need to run in November, which I am, and I hope to serve for another four years or as long as I’m re-elected.

 

What is the greatest professional strength that will assist you in this position?

I’m committed to the integrity of the election process. I have 30 years of experience as an attorney.

I think aside from my education and my experience and my background, I’ve been doing this job since March. I’ve been credited as an election administrator. I’ve performed the duties of city clerk, which are varied. I mean, part of the job is being an election administrator, but there are many other aspects of the position that are important. The city clerk is responsible for taking the minutes at the city council meeting, maintaining city records and the qualified voter files, administering elections, hiring and supervising election inspectors. So as far as my professional strengths, I have to say I’ve got a lot of education, I’ve got a lot of experience, but I think the most important experience I’ve gained is the experience I’ve gained in the last several months serving as the city clerk for the City of Dowagiac. It may sound lame, but I really do think that’s important.

Potentially there are four elections coming up next year. I have to say that this is a hectic time of year for my personally, and this week is really crunch time, but that’s my job.

 

How will you serve the people of Dowagiac as clerk?

I think it’s important that people understand the clerk has no vote. The clerk’s responsibilities are delineated by the city charter and the city clerk is accountable for elections. The city clerk is accountable to the community. As a private individual, I’ll do whatever I can. I’m committed to the community. My family has lived here for long — we have a lot of generations in my family. My family has been here since before the Civil War and I’m committed to this community.

 

Why are you the best person to represent Dowagiac in this role?

Because of my education, my expertise, my experience, my dedication and my commitment.

 

What you enjoy most about living in and representing the people of Dowagiac?

There is such a rich history in this community and I like to think I’m part of it, but more importantly is the fact that the city clerk is impossible for maintaining the integrity of the election process. That’s my primary job, to make sure when people come to the polls their personal interests are taken care of.

 

Anything you would like to say to voters?

Please vote.

 

Melissa Clanton is a longtime resident of Dowagiac and native of Niles. She graduated from Niles High School in 2002, and studied communications at Southwestern Michigan College before transferring to Bethel College to study business, where she graduated in 2008. A former advertising executive, she currently works at Olympia Books in Dowagiac.

 

Why are you running for city clerk?

You know, as I said, at that last meeting we said three years. It doesn’t seem like three years, but maybe it has. I was one of the founding members and at the first meeting Mayor Lyons and Manager Anderson came to the meeting and just kind of talked to us and really kind of shared some things about Dowagiac with us. For whatever reason that meeting, it just kind of struck a cord with me and from then on I was really kind of interested in becoming more involved in Dowagiac, more vested in Dowagiac, and I wanted to — that’s where I really found that urge to just kind of start looking into and learning more.

When I was working at Fifth-Third Bank I had heard about Jim Snow’s retirement, and I had talked briefly with some people who I had called about the position to learn a little bit about it. It was something that I was interested in then when I learned about his retirement, but it wasn’t the right time. Things didn’t line up the way that I wanted them to. Things didn’t fall into place or line up until very recently. So then I decided to enter as a write-in candidate.

 

What is the greatest professional strength that will assist you in this position?

I would say I have a very strong passion for learning and wanting to know and wanting to just basically always learn. I’m a very organized person. I like things to be neat and tidy and well-organized. That’s probably one of my strongest suits.

 

How will you serve the people of Dowagiac as clerk?

As the clerk, it’s a position that — I always like to go back to Jim Snow. I can’t even think of a word to describe him. Everyone knew who he was. Everyone knew that baseball hat and that dress outfit — his suit, always a smiling face. That left quite an impression on me. So here’s someone who spends all of this time in their office working on filing and keeping minutes and keeping everything so organized and neat and tidy, planning elections and that sort of thing, yet everyone knew who he was because of that smile, because of that “how you doing?” “Good morning,” “Good afternoon” he had.

It left such an impression on me. I really, although that’s a torch that — I don’t know if anyone could pick up that torch but I would love to pick up that torch, it’s definitely something I would strive to do.

 

Why are you the best person to represent Dowagiac in this role?

You know, I have to say that I have chosen Dowagiac. Dowagiac didn’t choose me. I wasn’t born here. I wasn’t raised here. To be honest with you, I don’t even recall ever coming to Dowagiac as a child for anything, but I’ve actually chosen to live here. I’ve chosen this place because I love it. I love Dowagiac.

When people ask me where I’m from, it’s Dowagiac. I don’t say, “I’m from Niles,” I’m part of Dowagiac. It’s the place that I’ve chosen to be.

 

What you enjoy most about living in and representing the people of Dowagiac?

There are so many things I love about Dowagiac. I love that small-town feel. I love that when I take my dog for a walk, as I walk by these homes — some of the people I wouldn’t even call acquaintances; I’ve only seen them at a few things here or there, social gatherings or events and things, but they wave and say, “hi” and I say hi back. I love that small-town feel. I love our downtown. I love all of our shops and the people. Everyone is so friendly. I really enjoy Dowagiac. I love everything about it.

 

Anything you would like to say to voters?

If I could say anything to them, I’d say, “I would be privileged, I would be honored to be voted in as city clerk. At the same time, I’d like to tell them that I have not entered this at a write-in for any sort of — I really just love their community so I would be honored and privileged if they chose to write in my name. And I will continue to serve as a member of Young Professionals and be active with the community and be active with the theater and organizations and that sort of thing.