MWRD Commissioner Seeks New Role As Clerk of Circuit Court of Cook County

Mariyana Spyropoulos is running for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARIYANA SPYROPOULOS.
Mariyana Spyropoulos is running for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARIYANA SPYROPOULOS.

MWRD Commissioner Seeks New Role As Clerk of Circuit Court of Cook County

By Tia Carol Jones

Mariyana Spyropoulos is running for Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Spyropoulos is currently a Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. She has been in that role since 2010.

Spyropoulos said her experience in local government and her experience as an attorney makes her qualified to hold the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. She said her goal in running for the office is to make change.

Spyropoulos has been an attorney for 25 years, she has worked in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in the Child Support division, Juvenile, Narcotics and Criminal Appeals. Then, she went into private practice, where she did contract law.

“I have some knowledge of navigating the court system,” she said.

While at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Spyropoulos served as the President/ Chairman of Finance and a Pension Board trustee. She focused on ethics and transparency. She introduced the Independent Inspector General, as well as focusing on the fiscal responsibility of the MRWD. She stressed the need for a balanced budget for the agency.

Spyropoulos said there is a lot of change that needs to be made in the Clerk’s office. She has an MBA and wants to bring her knowledge of management and experience to the Clerk’s office. When it comes to changes, she would make in the Clerk’s office, she would improve technology and access to the technology.

She said there is a need for development of an app that would enable people to find out their court case and dates for appearance. She would also hire a chief innovation officer to make sure the office is at the cutting edge of technology, with security of identities and sensitive information that exists with court cases.

She also wants to develop and facilitate programs for young people to help them with their cases, possibly getting the school system involved. She wants to honor the mission and purpose of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s office, which is record keeping, while also thinking beyond that to include working with other stakeholders, the Sheriff’s Office, State’s Attorney, Public Defender, State Police, as well as judges and attorneys.

Spyropoulos wants to develop a strategic plan for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s office which would include a dashboard and review of where the office is three months, six months and a year. She said it would be a way for people to see how the office is doing and create accessibility and transparency.

Spyropoulos wants to create access in libraries, with kiosks where people could go to find out about their court cases. She also wants to go around Cook County and educate people on the types of services that are available at the Clerk’s office. She believes there is an opportunity for more visibility for the services the office provides.


Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.