Login | July 16, 2025
Youngstown muni clerk aims to educate public about his job
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: April 11, 2024
As a candidate running for Youngstown municipal clerk of court, Richard Vincent Hill said it became apparent to him that the public did not understand the functions and objectives of the office he sought.
So when he started his six-year term at the beginning of 2024, he set out to educate residents about the office’s mission, core values and his vision for its future.
“I was determined to hit the ground running by clearing up any confusion,” said Hill. “So I drew up mission, vision and core values statements that describe what we do and the high standards that I expect my employees and the office to adhere to, including providing technology-enabled services, transparency, accountability and professional courtesy.
“I gave all three statements to each employee, posted them on the clerk of court’s webpage and will have the statements displayed on the bulletin board outside the office,” he said.
Hill also began a dedicated human resources division which is charged with managing the employee lifecycle including onboarding, training and compliance.
“We are currently working on the first-ever employee policy manual that will delineate procedures, expectations and our mission,” said Hill.
“With laws and rules changing constantly, the HR division will ensure that all employees understand any modifications and procedures to ensure compliance with the Ohio Revised Code and Local Rules of Practice,” said Hill.
He said the office’s case management system is in the process of being upgraded from CourtView 2 to CourtView 3, which is expected to be in place by summer.
“The change will make the office more efficient and effective, providing web-based access to the public and enabling us to execute e-filing and e-payments, along with the ability to scan documents directly to the docket,” said Hill.
“This will begin the process of the clerk’s office becoming a majority paperless operation,” said Hill.
To carry out the transition along with other IT improvements, Hill hired Monica Joyce to serve as the new network administrator.
Joyce previously worked as a deputy clerk in the small claims division of Youngstown Municipal Court.
“I had already been doing a lot of IT work to help modernize my department,” said Joyce. “I am very excited about the improvements that the new case management system will bring to the clerk’s office.
“Once it’s in place, lawyers and the public will be able to pull up cases and be able to see a scanned copy of any documents related to the case and the signatures of the judge or magistrate that made decisions.
“I’ve worked with Richard for many years and I think he is very a good leader,” said Joyce. “He’s been at the clerk’s office for a long time and he was aware of our strengths and shortcomings, which made it easier for him to step into this role and effectively guide us into the future.”
Prior to Hill taking over, his predecessor longtime Youngstown Municipal Clerk Sarah Brown-Clark had been working to modernize the office.
In an earlier interview with the Akron Legal News, she expressed confidence that Hill would “take things a step further,” as he carries on the mission of providing exemplary service to the public.
It was Brown-Clark who hired Hill in 2000 after beginning her first term as clerk.
A native of Youngstown, Hill earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Youngstown State University and has a master’s degree in public administration from The University of Akron.
When he first started in 2000, he was a deputy clerk in the criminal/traffic division in the clerk’s office.
He was promoted a number of times over the years and served as criminal traffic division supervisor prior to winning the election.
Hill is the first African-American male to be elected Youngstown Municipal clerk of court.
“When I was in school I always had an interest in government, history or subjects related to business so I knew that I wanted to take on a leadership role in either government or business,” Hill said.
He initially made an unsuccessful bid for mayor of Youngstown in 2021.
“Things did not go as I had planned but when I learned that Sarah was retiring, seeking her position seemed like a natural progression for me.”
As part of his effort to fulfill one of the office’s core values of community engagement, Hill is reaching out to local artists and asking them to submit some of their work.
Hill said he’s received quite a few responses and the office’s lobby currently features works from artists such as Maple Turner III, Chester Hunter, Ed Robinson, Will Duck and Darryl Anderson II, who is a network administrator for the city of Youngstown.
“The goal is to line the entire office with the artwork to showcase the amazing talents of the people here in the community,” said Hill.
In Anderson’s case, he’s been creating artwork for the past 30 years.
“I have a digital painting of Ron Carter hanging in the lobby,” said Anderson. “He is a well-known jazz bass player, but in the painting he’s sitting and thinking. When I saw the original photograph, it made me feel reflective and at peace and that’s why I chose to recreate it as an artistic work to add some of my own emotions to it.
“I plan to gift Richard two more pieces that he’s chosen from my portfolio in the coming weeks,” said Anderson.
“The importance of this initiative can’t be underestimated,” said Anderson. “An artist named Yasiin Bey once said, ‘art is a thing people forget they need until they need it.’ It elicits powerful emotions; it can be used to soothe people and has the ability to change an environment. Having art in the clerk’s office will allow people who might be there for an undesirable reason to see some beauty in the day in an unexpected place.”
While it has been a busy few months, Hill said it’s just the beginning.
“I plan to get a lot more accomplished during my term as clerk,” said Hill. “I am looking forward to making many more improvements in the future.”