Deputy Clerks Love Their Jobs

(Editor’s Note: This is another in a series of meeting the community’s public service employees who take care of the residents and businesses in Jasper County and the city of Monticello. This week, Kim Joris introduces us to the staff in the Clerk of Courts office.)

Not 20 feet away from the main door of the Jasper County Clerk of Courts O?ce sits Shelby Evans, the newest member of the Clerk’s O?ce. One of four deputy clerks, she started with the o?ce only six weeks ago.

Shelby, a 2014 graduate of Oglethorpe County School, holds a Business Administration Degree from Emmanuel College. She came to the Clerk of Courts O?ce from a job as an assistant quality control manager at LandMark Construction, a job she said helps her with her duties as a deputy clerk.

Her day to day duties consist of filing the paperwork and handling all the necessary work involved with civil cases that originate in the Jasper County Magistrate Court.

“I like it a lot,” Shelby said, declaring, “I have a lot to learn.” She enjoys the smaller work o?ce, describing her work environment as very organized and structured and explaining that regardless the case, the process for each remains pretty much the same.

She likes living in Jasper County and especially likes her nine minute commute to work. Attending her church, riding horses, gardening, hunting in the national forests and doing anything outdoors are favorite activities of Shelby’s when she’s away from work, activities she often shares with her boyfriend Shane Drake.

“He gets to stay on a bush hog all the time,” she said of Shane, who manages a small cattle farm in Hillsboro.

Seated behind Shelby is Ariel Nichols. Ariel, from Jasper County, started her job as a deputy clerk about 17 months ago. A deputy clerk for two years in Morgan County prior to coming to Jasper, she is happy to return home to work in the community she grew up in.

Responsible for all real estate transactions that take place in Jasper County, she handles liens, deeds and plats, ensuring all are filed and recorded properly and kept up to date. She also assists others in searching for real estate records and she is the acceptance agent for all passport applications. “I love my work here,” Ariel said.

Ariel attended school in the Jasper County Charter System (JCCS) from Kindergarten through 12th grade, and is a 2018 Jasper County High School (JCHS) alum. She holds two Associates Degrees from Georgia Military College, (GMC) graduating in 2022 with a degree in Criminal Justice and graduating this June 2023 with a degree in psychology. Though she currently lives in Madison with her seven year old Lab/Pitt Bull mix Jay, she hopes one day to buy a home back home in Jasper County.

Her parents Shannon and Mike Moore and her 15-year-old brother Sam live in nearby Mansfield. Her mother works as an Inclusion teacher with JCCS at the elementary school, soon moving to the middle school and her father has worked for Snapping Shoals EMC for 37 years and counting.

Full of energy and focused on her career and her future, Ariel holds a second job doing something else she loves. She helps coordinate and manage the local Talamo Farms wedding venue. Though it is very di?erent from her job as deputy clerk, she loves it.

Taking people on evening venue tours and talking to people and helping them plan their wedding, she likes being able to make people happy during their wedding planning process.

In the next room over through an oversized entranceway, sits the other two deputy clerks, Chrissy Mason and LaTonya Little. Both born and raised in Monticello and Jasper County and with over 17 years experience each, Chrissy and LaTonya are mainstays at the clerk’s o?ce.

Chrissy started her job as deputy clerk in November of 2004 at the age of 20, a little over a year after her 2003 graduation from Piedmont Academy. Originally responsible solely for Juvenile Court, she is now responsible for criminal and civil cases in Juvenile Court, criminal cases and all calendars for the Magistrate Court and all Superior Court criminal matters. “Everyday is di?erent here,” said Chrissy, describing some days as very busy and some as chill.

Married to husband Keith Mason for 15 years, they have two boys—seven-year-old Parker Ray and 13-year-old Lane Thomas, who attend the JCCS primary and middle schools. Husband Keith, also born and raised in Monticello, is employed at PermaTherm, a local Monticello business that manufactures insulated panels for buildings.

When not at home with her family, much of Chrissy’s o? time is spent watching her sons play baseball, locally with the Jasper County Recreation Department and on travel teams. Her sports photography passion is well highlighted through jaw dropping pictures of both sons athletic exploits, including baseball, soccer, basketball, track and cross country and maybe soon to include tennis.

Chrissy, the self described baby girl of her family has two brothers who are 10 and 13 years older. She has her mom Duane Pitts and one brother Jamie still in Jasper County. Her other brother Tim is in Rome. Her mother is a preschool teacher at the Monticello Baptist Church and her father Tim Pitts, who passed away in 2021, owned and operated Pitts Paving Company for almost 40 years.

LaTonya Little completes the squad of deputy clerks. She is responsible for all civil matters in Superior Court, including garnishments, divorces, protective orders, name changes and adoptions and she handles the accounting for the o?ce. She oversees jury management, sending out jury summons and handling excuses for those who need to opt out of jury duty.

“It’s a very interesting place to work. Every day is something new. There’s never a dull moment,” LaTonya shared.

A 1989 JCHS alum, she worked for 12 years at the Monticello Dairy Queen. A devoted employee no matter where she works, LaTonya said she had needed a change and her move to the Jasper County Clerk of Courts O?ce has been a good one.

Her husband Tracey Little works with the Jasper County Sheri?’s O?ce. They have a 22 year old daughter Tristian who is majoring in accounting at Mercer University and works for Sovereign Insurance on the Monticello square. She loves having her daughter working nearby, sharing that they often share a lunch break together at one of the local eateries on the square.

Shopping with her daughter is a favorite pastime of LaTonya’s. And according to LaTonya, since Tracey loves to eat, she and her husband enjoy dining out together when they aren’t relaxing at home. “I love this small town,” she said of Monticello.

And that completes the Deputy Clerk squad of the Jasper County Clerk of Courts.

They can be found at the Jasper County Clerk of Courts O?ce, located in the Jasper County Courthouse, 126 West Greene Street, Monticello, GA, suite 110 or via phone at 706.468.4901