NATCHEZ — Brandi Lewis is a self-described “people person” who wants to make the chancery clerk’s office assessable to all.

“I want to help the people of Adams County,” she said.

“My vow, from my first day in office, will be to have an open door policy — I am there as an employee of the people who elected me. I think it is very important that the person who steps into that role be a people person and be able to work well with the people of Adams County.”

Lewis is one of two candidates in Tuesday’s Democratic primary runoff for Adams County Chancery Clerk. In the four-candidate field for the Aug. 4 primary, Lewis was the second top-vote getter in the field following Joe Murray, though neither took the majority of the vote.

The winner of the run-off will be the clerk because they have no Republican or independent challengers.

The chancery clerk serves as the official recorder of minutes for the county board of supervisors, prepares the claims docket and all county payrolls and ultimately signs all checks and payments the county makes.

The clerk is also the keeper of records for the county, including deeds, mortgages, liens, notices of lawsuits and military discharges. The office also stores land rolls, tax receipts and other county records in the long term.

As clerk for the chancery court, the office also handles matters of estate, guardianships, conservatorships, divorces, child custody, adoption, property disputes and other matters of equity.

Lewis graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in business before attending law school, graduating with a juris doctorate in 2002.

She spent her first four years as a licensed attorney practicing chancery and circuit court law in Jackson before moving with her family to Natchez and becoming an officer at Britton & Koontz Bank, a job that required her to work with managing loan accounts.

After that, she went to work as the staff attorney for the 17th district chancery court.

“(The staff attorney is) an arm of the court,” she said. “They work hands-on with the judge and court staff. I attend all court proceedings and assist in the research of all the cases and issues that are involved in all those matters as well as reviewing all the court files.

“Once the cases go to trial or hearing, the court will render its opinion or finding and I will assist the court in the writing of the opinions or findings.”

Her legal background in the chancery court system is part of what will make her a good chancery clerk, Lewis said.

“I have a unique practical experience of having worked directly with and very closely with the chancery clerk and deputy clerk in Adams County,” she said.

“I am pretty familiar with the office. I do have a good deal of experience in that regard, my first day I would like to start by shadowing each of the deputy clerks and working with them and seeing what they do on a day-to-day basis, what is working, what is not working and what can we do to help increase the efficiency of the office and help the staff to make their role one that is workable for them and for the community as a whole.”

Her previous work in the bank also helped Lewis prepare for the clerk’s role as treasurer, she said.

“We had to oversee accounts, and when someone came in to take out a loan, it was incumbent upon the officer to take in all their financial records and do the underwriting,” Lewis said. “In that regard, I find my banking experience would assist me in working with the financial responsibility of the clerk in assessing the financial aspects of the office.”

Lewis said she also wants to make some changes to how drug, alcohol and lunacy commitments are handled, a process she said is largely working well.

“The issue we are having is when someone comes into the office to have a family member or friend committed, there is not a designated private area to have that discussion, Lewis said. “That is a very sensitive issue and step to be taking, and I want to make sure they have the privacy and the unencumbered attention of whoever is helping them, and I think providing that office would be a great start.”

The other issue she would like to address in regard to commitments is finding a place for someone who is to be committed to stay until a bed opens up for them in a hospital or treatment center.

“We have had issues with once someone is committed, there are not enough places for these persons to be placed while they are waiting for a bed or a place to get help, and there are nowhere near enough locations and services for these persons once they are placed,” Lewis said.

But the key to performing all the clerk’s roles best will be a motivation to help people, she said.

“I am getting into this job because I want to help the people of Adams County,” she said.