Lisa Fallon

New Monroe County Circuit Clerk Lisa Fallon is excited to be working in the county she has called home since birth and is eager to get more involved in the community.

Fallon, 52, of Waterloo, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democrat Sandy Sauget in November. A native of Columbia, Fallon has a degree in business administration and management from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and more than 30 year of business experience to the position.

She and husband, Dan Fallon, have two daughters, Courtney, 19 and Kylie, 15.

“My husband and I always wanted to get more involved in the community but our jobs always took us to St. Louis, Scott Air Force Base — always driving out of where we lived to work,” she said. “So, for me, it is an awesome opportunity to use my skill set, my business skills here in my own county where I’ve lived my whole life.”

Fallon said that friends and family involved in law enforcement encouraged her to run for the position because they thought she could provide technology expertise that would move the office forward.

“They said, ‘Lisa, with your background in information technology and things like that and doing software implementations, we think you would be a really valuable asset to come in and take charge of the office and the parts (you) can manage and get them automated and running a little smoother so things can run more like they’re supposed to in this century,’” she told the Republic-Times.

Fallon said that on her first day, she called the company that will be used to automate some functions of the office as mandated by the state.

“We do have the Illinois Supreme Court mandate to e-file by January 2018,” she said. “We also have to get e-appeal in by this summer 2017, I was just told. So, we have to get some automation process in place before that happens.”

Fallon has also spoken with Clinton County Circuit Clerk Rod Kloeckner about technological advances for her office.

“His whole courtroom is automated,” she said. “There’s no paper passing at all and it is really cool.”

Fallon said that she is still getting her feet wet in the new position, and Judge Dennis Doyle has been a huge help.

“Working in the court with Judge Doyle, he’s been extremely patient and helpful because, you know, not only does he have me, but he has Chris Hitzemann, State’s Attorney, new, and a new probation officer,” she said. “So we’re trying to move as quickly as we can with the current system but we’re all newbies, so he’s been very encouraging and it’s been great to work with him.

“I’m here to serve the judge and the state’s attorney in whatever I can do to make their jobs easier while we’re actually in court.”

Fallon said she will look into ways for all courthouse offices to collaborate and pool resources so that any new technology implemented works well together.

Fallon is one of 18 new circuit clerks in the state, and each is assigned a mentor to help them acclimate to the position. Perry County Circuit Clerk Kim Kellerman has been assigned as Fallon’s mentor.

“She’s the one who brought the jury down every day for the Chris Coleman trial, and I hear she’s really, really good,” Fallon said.

Fallon will also attend a seminar for new circuit clerks, which will take place this coming March in Springfield.