Miller Adjourns Circuit Clerk Career
Trending
WHEELING - On Monday - for the first time in about 45 years - Brenda Miller won't have to come to work near the 1500 block of Chapline Street.
Miller spent her last day as Ohio County circuit clerk on Friday after nearly 28 years in office. Before that she worked years at West Virginia Northern Community College, WesBanco and the County Prosecutor's Office, and also operated the Court Cafe restaurant.
All those places of employment were either at the City-County Building in Wheeling or in its nearby shadows.
Many from the local community and elsewhere in the state turned out for Miller's goodbye celebration in the second-floor courtroom on Friday.
"It's kind of overwhelming today," Miller said. "I've been here every day since Jan. 1, 1999. It's going to seem very strange to walk out the door as circuit clerk for the very last time.
"But I think over the years I've been able to help many, many people in Ohio County and across the state. I've made friends all over the state, and I've been to every county in the state of West Virginia. The reach wasn't just Ohio County, but the whole state."
Miller noted she has found "amazing people" everywhere during her time as clerk, and that most everybody in county government "just wants to help the people in their counties."
"It's going to be different on Monday. I'm not going to know what to do first thing," she said.
Miller explained her reason for retirement is to keep a closer eye on her 92-year-old mother, Patty.
"She's a tough cookie," she said. "She still lives alone in Martins Ferry. I love her dearly, but I need to be there with her now."
The next move will be to fill Miller's unexpired term, which extends through 2028. Chief 1st District Circuit Court Judge Joe Barki in Hancock County and other judges in the Northern Panhandle will offer their input and decide who should be appointed to the term.
Among those driving up from Charleston to wish Miller good luck in her next chapter was Steve Canterbury, former administrator for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
He termed Miller "the best" among circuit clerk courts in the state.
"She was so important to me when I was running the courts," Canterbury said. "I learned half of what I know about the courts from her ...
"People in Ohio County may not know this, but she was the major circuit clerk in this state. When clerks in other counties had a problem or didn't understand a procedure, they called her. She fixed it for them and told them what to do and kept them out of trouble."
Canterbury said the job of circuit clerk is "complex."
"I didn't understand how complex it was until I got into the job of running the courts, and I realized that it may be the most complicated job in the courthouse," he continued. "Everything that walks in the door is probably the most important thing in that person's life, so you have to be alert, kind and empathetic."
Another guest was Leckta Poling, a former Barbour County prosecutor who presently serves as assistant prosecutor in Randolph County.
Poling met Miller through their mutual involvement in the West Virginia Association of Counties.
"We became friends and have stayed friends," she said. "The state is losing one of its best resources, and probably one of its greatest public servants.
"In today's time, you usually don't have people who will stay put as long and have the knowledge that Brenda does. She is probably the premiere circuit clerk in the state. She has probably educated and helped every county circuit clerk along the way."
Ohio County Assessor Tiffany Hoffman has served nearly 10 years in her office, and she credits Miller for helping her out as she has moved along.
"I'm going to miss Brenda and having her around and having a mentor," she said. "She showed me the ropes."
Hoffman explained Miller helped her with human resource issues and got her involved with the West Virginia Association of Counties.
"She also supported me in whatever I needed to do with the assessor's office," Hoffman said. "She has always been there for me. We're going to miss her, and the courthouse will also."