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January 3, 2013

County officials take oaths

By Joy Hampton The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — Four Cleveland County officials were sworn into office today. Cleveland County Sheriff Joe Lester, County Clerk Tammy Belinson and Court Clerk Rhonda Hall were sworn in the County Commissioners meeting room by Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals Judge William C. Hetherington Jr.

All three were re-elected to office this past year.

Newly elected District 2 County Commissioner Darry Stacy was sworn in later by District Judge Tracy Schumacher.

Stacy placed his hand on his great-grandfather Basler’s Bible which was held by his wife, Tasha. Sons Heath and Karson also stood by his side as he took the oath of office for the first time. He succeeds George Skinner who did not seek re-election.

Lester has served as Cleveland County Sheriff since January 2009. He is a native Oklahoman and first arrived in Cleveland County in 1991 as police chief and director of public safety for the University of Oklahoma, where he served until 2003.

Belinson was appointed to the position by the Board of County Commissioners in June 2007 after the retirement of Dorinda Harvey. She has been elected twice since that time and currently resides in Moore. The former Tammy Howard married Danny Belinson in October.

Hall has held the position of court clerk since 1996. She started work in the court clerk’s office as a file clerk in 1981. Over the next nine years, she advanced to become the criminal division supervisor. In 1996, Hall was elected Cleveland County Court Clerk. She was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

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