Angie King

Candidate, Adams County Chancery Clerk

What position are you seeking and why are you running for this position?

ANSWER: I am seeking the office of Chancery Clerk in Adams County.  I am seeking this position because I am qualified for the position. Along with being qualified, I have experience with both county and state budgets. I love Natchez, Adams County. How could I not? This is where my parents grew up, where I grew up, and where I chose to raise my children.

After much prayer and consideration, together with my family, I made the decision to run for the office of Chancery Clerk. The reasons I am seeking this office are simple — dedication to my community, service to others, and as I always say, to leave the world much better than I found it.

As I often remind people, I am vested where I have invested and that is in Natchez, MS.

Such position requires the right person to be knowledgeable, teachable, and a team player who don’t mind burning the midnight oil when necessary. I know I am the right person who can meet the needs of the chancery clerk office. One of my major aspirations is to make a difference as I positively impact the lives of others. The office of chancery clerk will allow me to do such. Also, I am dedicated to the citizens of Adams County, and I believe that someone in this office should be able to advocate to make sure the taxpayers’ hard-earned money is being utilized appropriately and that each department is being held accountable for their yearly spending.

What experience do you have that you think qualifies you for this office?

ANSWER: I worked for the State Tax Commission as an Auditor for 16 years. While working as an Auditor, I was able to learn how to appropriately allocate and analyze funds. Such knowledge will be valuable to the office of Chancery Clerk.

Have you held other political office? If so, what and when?

ANSWER: This would be my first official elected office.

Why do you think you would be the best candidate for this office?

ANSWER: I will be the best candidate for Adams County Chancery Clerk because I have over 10 years of experience with county government and 16 years of experience with state government. The County Chancery office deals with county revenue and expenses on a day-to-day basis. My experience in both county and state government highly qualifies me as the best candidate. I have great familiarity with the operation of the county budget and will need very little training on the any coding standard, but if training is necessary, I will dedicate my time to learning all I need to be effective.

Tell us where you work and how long you have worked there? What is your position at work?

ANSWER: Currently I am privately employed as a tax consultant and a courier. I have been privately consulting for 30 years.

Tell us about your education experience, high school and college.

ANSWER: I am a proud Honor graduate of North Natchez Class of 1984. I furthered my education at Alcorn State University obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Accounting in 1989 and later receiving a Master’s in Business Administration Degree and a Master’s Degree in Workforce Education Leadership. I have plus 36 hours in the Doctoral Business Administration program at the University of Phoenix.

What are the biggest challenges facing the office you are seeking or currently hold, and how would you propose to solve them?

ANSWER: I believe the biggest challenge in this office that I would face is dealing with delinquent taxes. That’s where communication, honest and courtesy comes into effect. The Chancery Clerk office should be able to reach out to delinquent taxperson (people) to communicate about the delinquent taxes, the effect it has on the county of Adams County and to be able to come up with a resolution to retrieve the delinquent funds. While doing this with couth and tact should be exemplified with the citizens of Adams County.

What else do you want potential voters to know?

ANSWER: I would like the voters of Adams County to know that I am a transparent person, and I believe that communication is very proactive in this position. I believe in being available for the tax people of Adams County. For this position a few traits are needed to ensure that the machine is running well and that is dedication, qualification and familiarity and I possess all three. Lastly, I believe in holding the employees accountable for accuracy. The goal or objective of the Chancery Clerk office to oversee the county funds and to ensure that the department is allocating funds accurately and the funds are being utilize precisely that would best maximize the tax payers’ dollars.

Brandi Lewis

Incumbent, Adams County Chancery Clerk

What position are you seeking and why are you running for this position?

ANSWER: I am seeking re-election for a third term to the position of Adams County Chancery Clerk. I am running for the position as I would like to continue to serve the citizens of Adams County and to continue to improve the office of Chancery Clerk. Since starting in the position, my deputies and I have worked tirelessly to ensure the Chancery Clerk’s office provides the best of service to everyone who encounters our office. I have maintained an open-door policy allowing for anyone who needs assistance to feel comfortable and open to meet with me on whatever issue or question they might have. I have a passion for wanting to help others and for wanting to serve the community where my family and myself live.

What experience do you have that you think qualifies you for this office?

ANSWER: My experience includes holding the position of Chancery Clerk for almost eight years as well as being the Staff Attorney for one of our 17th District Chancery Court Judges for approximately seven years.

Have you held other political office? If so, what and when?

ANSWER: I have not held any other political office.

Why do you think you would be the best candidate for this office?

ANSWER: I have the most experience since I have served the citizens of Adams County in this position for two terms. During my tenure I have worked diligently to try to continue the good work of the Chancery Clerk’s office as well as make many necessary improvements to the office. My deputies and myself take great pride in working every day to help everyone who walks in the door of the Chancery Clerk’s office.

Tell us where you work and how long you have worked there? What is your position at work?

ANSWER: I am the Adams County Chancery Clerk and have held this position since January 2016.

Tell us about your education experience, high school and college.

ANSWER: I am a 1995 graduate of Pascagoula High School. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in 1999 and obtained a Juris Doctorate from MS College School of Law in 2002.

What are the biggest challenges facing the office you are seeking or currently hold, and how would you propose to solve them?

ANSWER: On this question I would like to address the challenges we have already addressed since I have been in office. Since I started in January 2016, we have moved the Adams County Chancery Court records onto the MS Electronic Courts (“MEC”) system, which is supported by our MS Supreme Court. The move to the MEC system was of no cost to the county and it has allowed the court records to now be exclusively online, which has provided a savings to the county, and its taxpayers, for the cost of maintaining and storing paper files.

Additionally, I have overseen the scanning of all deed records from 1985 back to the 1700’s.  This allows for the preservation of these records while additionally making the searching of these records much more user friendly.

The Chancery Clerk’s office is also now paperless with regards to its land records which saves the county tens of thousands of dollars every year for paper and books for these records. Our office has also created a designated, private area where all mental, drug and alcohol commitment appointments take place thereby allowing for privacy for those who are seeking treatment for their loved ones.

Furthermore, the Chancery Clerk’s office has instituted an additional layer of notice for those whose land taxes need to be redeemed. Our office now sends out a secondary courtesy postcard in December, before the August deadline, to try to further ensure that Adams County citizens do not lose their property for unpaid ad valorem taxes.

What else do you want potential voters to know?

ANSWER: The Chancery Clerk serves as the County Auditor, County Treasurer, Clerk of the Chancery Court and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. In the position of Clerk, I work daily with the Adams County Board of Supervisors and assist daily in overseeing matters relating to Chancery Court cases and filings. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the citizens of Adams County these two terms and I hope to continue to be able to serve Adams County. I would appreciate your vote of Brandi B. Lewis, Adams County Chancery Clerk, on August 8, 2023.