Lincoln County’s chancery clerk is now second in command of theclerks’ statewide association and is one year away from taking onthe top position.

Tillmon Bishop, the county’s chancery clerk since 2000, advancedto the vice presidency of the Mississippi Chancery Clerks’Association during the July convention after serving a year as thegroup’s secretary/treasurer. From the yeoman’s work of takingminutes and drafting checks, he’ll now move into the higher circlesof coordinating training sessions and acting as a go-between withstate lawmakers to help shape policy.

“We try to make sure our legislators understand what we need,that they understand how we’re affected by different legislationthat’s introduced,” Bishop said. “Sometimes bills have adverseeffects on parts of the public who have to deal with the chanceryclerk’s office. They’re usually OK about changing it if we comethrough and say, ‘Look, you can do this, but it would be better ifyou did it this way.'”

Bishop’s new duties will also include coordinating trainingevents and continuing education courses for the state’s 82 chanceryclerks. The association sends its members to various workshops -some offered at the University of Mississippi’s Judicial Collegeand others taught by Mississippi State University’s ExtensionService – that keep clerks abreast of current legal issues andtrends involving the office.

“You have people who have just come on board and some folks whohave been there 30 years. You have to make sure these guys who arejust coming on board don’t make mistakes,” Bishop said.

Bishop’s involvement in policy issues as the association’s VPwill be easier on the soul than the dirty work ofsecretary/treasurer. Next year, however, he’ll bear the weight ofthe entire organization when he ascends to the presidency.

But Bishop’s pending burdens should a step forward for LincolnCounty. Not only will be in a position to appoint his fellow clerksto association committee chairmanships and other duties, he’ll beable to call on the knowledge and resources of 81 other chanceryclerks to get the inside track on any problems that may arise.

“Every chancery clerk in the state will know who the presidentis, and you can call on any one of them,” he said.

Of course, Bishop has to maintain his position at home before hecan lead the association. County offices are up for election in2011, with qualifying in the spring, the primary in August and thegeneral election in November.

“You never want to forget what you’re supposed to be doing backhome,” Bishop said.