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Clerk and Master seeks commission approval to fund successor’s pay via fee holdback
Summary
Clerk and Master Miss Miller told county commissioners she will retire next month and asked them to approve allowing a 10% fee holdback under a cited statute so her deputy, Rachel Kapperman, can receive additional compensation for serving multiple courts; Miss Miller said mediation work and rising excess fees underwrite the request.
Miss Miller, who said she has served as Clerk and Master since 2014, told the Hamilton County Commission on April 15 that she will retire next month and asked commissioners to authorize a 10% holdback of excess fees under a cited statute (identified in the meeting as “824102”) so her successor, Rachel Kapperman, can be paid for handling matters across multiple courts.
"I hired her right out of UT law school," Miss Miller said, introducing Kapperman and describing the heavy mediation workload the office handles for indigent parties and others who lack counsel. Miss Miller said mediations often require multi-day work or late nights and that the local rule requiring mediation in domestic relations cases increases demand on the clerk and master’s office.
Miss Miller also gave the commission fiscal context for the request, saying that "last year we had a million five in excess fees" and that excess fees have been growing during her tenure. She recommended authorizing a percentage-based supplement so the amount would adjust with fee revenues rather than setting a fixed dollar figure.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions. Commissioner Mackey asked whether judges ever transfer cases to the clerk and master; Miss Miller replied that judges sometimes issue orders of reference so she can hear parts of a case or the whole matter, and that the office fills gaps when circuit dockets are congested. Commissioner Highlander and others asked whether other counties apply the same practice; Miss Miller said the county technical assistance service (CASS) confirmed several counties already implement the same provision.
Commissioner Baker and other members thanked Miss Miller for her long service and for explaining the operational and fiscal reasoning behind the requested compensation approach. No final vote was recorded on the floor during the portion of the meeting captured in the transcript.
The commission will consider the resolution (526-3) through the normal committee and calendar process; Miss Miller said the change would be at the commission’s discretion and could be reversed if future revenues did not support it.
