There are two Republican candidates on the March 6 ballot for Clerk of Common Pleas Court.

The first is business owner and technology advocate David Uible and the second is life-long resident, and long-time clerk, Barb Wiedenbein.

David Uible has lived in Clermont County 18 years. He received an executive management degree from the University of Cincinnati and a mechanical engineering degree from Purdue University.

For the past 23 years, Uible said, he has been working to acquire and rebuild manufacturing companies in the area.

“My background is engineering, technology and finance,” Uible said about his experience. “I spend time managing work teams and I think I am well qualified to run the office.”

In addition to his work, Uible owns and operates a buffalo farm in New Richmond, serves as treasurer of the Clermont County Republican central and executive committees, is involved with the Southern Ohio Agriculture and Community Development Fund and more.

Uible said he decided to run for office to challenge the long-time clerk Barbara Wiedenbein, and if elected he said he has several goals he would like to accomplish.

“I am tired of the county accepting who we get in office, and I decided to challenge her,” Uible said.

Uible said one of his primary goals, if elected, would be to automate court records and information for public access.

“I think that is the biggest and primary thing that can be done,” Uible said. “Today, if an attorney in Hamilton County needs to defend someone in Clermont County, they have to send someone out here.”

Uible said he would work to ensure the records are safely and securely accessible online so residents and attorneys can have access from home or work.

Uible said he would also work to improve and manage the daily activities at the court to help things run more efficiently.

Incumbent clerk Barb Wiedenbein moved to Clermont County when she was 9-years-old. She graduated from Milford High School and spent time living in Texas and Florida before she moved back home.

Before becoming clerk, Wiedenbein owned a travel agency, which she later sold to one of her employees, and also helped with her husband’s business, Wiedenbein Auto Parts.

In addition, Wiedenbein is involved with the Republican Party, is a Clermont County Senior Services board member, past member of the Clermont County Library Board, is involved with the Clermont County Convention and Visitors Bureau and more.

She said she has enjoyed her time as clerk and is running again to continue what she has done the past several years.

“The office is running extremely well,” Wiedenbein said. “It’s a solid foundation and I am not ready to retire. I enjoy what I do.”

Wiedenbein said she enjoys all facets of the job. She enjoys getting to know people at the office, working in the courtroom and interacting with attorneys.

“The law to me is just very interesting,” she said. “It is something different every day.”

Since she was first elected as Clerk of Courts in 2005, Wiedenbein said, she has contributed to making the court system a better place by working with employees and budgeting money.

“The employees know what I expect, and in turn I know what they expect of me,” Wiedenbein said. “I have never come across any major problems in this office.”

She said her goal is to keep everything running smoothly by communicating with employees, and also making sure they gain experience at different jobs in the office, she works to accomplish this on a daily basis.

Wiedenbein said since she was elected she has worked to save money within the court system and has been able to contribute surplus money back into the general fund.

She helped develop the “One Stop,” in Batavia, an office to help improve the convenience and service to customers, and also had ATM machines installed at the Batavia and Milford “One Stops.”

When it comes to the future of the court system, Wiedenbein said she is planning to automate records, and has been working on this plan for several years.

“My chief deputy and I have already looked into the term “e-filing,” essentially going paperless,” Wiedenbein said. “It’s great, there is no doubt about it. Right now the county doesn’t have the money to do that.”

She said to automate records right now it would cost around $800,000. She said she is committed to automating records and will research the process more, but only when the funds are available.

“We are working on things so attorneys can pull (information) up themselves,” she said about where they are in the process.

Until then, she said she will continue to keep things running smoothly in the court system in terms of budget, daily jobs and more.

“That’s what I was elected for,” Wiedenbein said. “To streamline the office and make progress.”