Clerk of Courts Wise seeks re-election

WAYNESBURG – Incumbent Sherry Wise has announced she will seek the Democratic nomination in the May primary for re-election to the office of Greene County clerk of courts.
Wise has worked in the clerk of court’s office for almost 20 years and was first elected clerk of courts in 2011.
During her three-year tenure as clerk, Wise implemented a number of changes to make the operations of the office more efficient and effective.
The office is currently in the process of reorganizing criminal files and is scanning all criminal file documents into computer files to make them more easily accessible to office staff.
Wise earlier directed her first deputy to oversee the unpaid and delinquent court costs with the aim of increasing collections. She is now working to bring in an outside collection agency to help collect unpaid costs from defendants for which the office is unable to obtain current addresses.
As clerk of orphan’s court, Wise also hired a company to scan all the docket filings into computer files. Eventually, all the original docket books will be preserved.
Wise has worked in the clerk of court’s office since 1995. She was a second deputy clerk of courts until June 2005, when she was promoted to chief deputy by then-clerk of courts Shirley Stockdale.
During her tenure in the clerk’s office, Wise said, she has worked well with the public and formed many friendships with members of the court staff, district attorney’s office, probation office, sheriff’s office and local and out-of-town attorneys who practice in Greene County.
Wise said she is looking forward to serving the citizens of Greene County for the next four years and will continue to implement the programs that have been initiated, including new case management programs being designed by Administrative Offices of Pennsylvania Courts.
“My intentions are to continue to work full time in the office and to give the same courteous service to the people of Greene County as I have done in the past,” she said.
Wise is a lifelong resident of Greene County. She was born in Waynesburg and grew up in the Rogersville area. She graduated from West Greene High School.
The Wises have lived in Jollytown for the last 37 years where they have raised their three children, Joni Wise Beazell, Nicholas Wise and Joshua Wise. The couple has two granddaughters, Emmaline and Elaina Beazell.
Her husband, Larry, has been employed for more than 40 years at Consolidation Coal Co.’s Blacksville No. 2 Mine, now Murray Energy’s Monongalia Mine. Although disabled, he is still an active member of the United Mine Workers of America.
Wise is currently treasurer of Greene County Democratic Women, a member of Cornerstone Genealogy Society and a member of Pennsylvania State Association of Prothonotaries and Clerks of Court and Pennsylvania State Association of Clerks of Orphans’ Courts and Registers of Wills.
Her office is responsible not only for docketing cases from the criminal division of court, but also for the filing and printing of marriage licenses, the filing of estate documents and research requests for marriage and birth and death records from the orphan’s court division.
She is responsible for the supervision and management of both the clerk of courts and clerk of orphan’s court divisions of Greene County Court of Common Pleas. Wise also is responsible for the balancing of accounts for money collected by both offices and for appropriately distributing money to the correct entities.