Longino ends 30-year court career

Jan. 2—MItch Longino's 30-year career of work in the Baldwin County Superior Court Clerk's Office has ended.

He rose from being a deputy clerk to chief deputy clerk and finally clerk over the Superior, State and Juvenile courts in Baldwin County.

Before leaving the constitutionally-elected office he held for the past eight years, Longino was treated to a retirement reception by his staff, including Wanda Paul, whom he appointed to replace him as clerk of the Baldwin County Superior, State and Juvenile courts. This year would have completed his second four-year term in office. She will serve the remainder of his unexpired term.

The reception was held in the grand jury room on the third floor of the Baldwin County Courthouse in downtown Milledgeville.

Paul welcomed guestsand said Longino will be missed.

Longino was accompanied his wifePam and their two sons.

He was asked what he plans to do now that he is retired.

"I haven't thought that far in advance," Longino told reporters after he greetedstaff members and close friends, including former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Hugh Thompson. "My wife and I are going to take a little trip to Maine, and when I get back from there, I will take a few weeks off and think about what I want to do, maybe something part-time."

Longino began working in the clerk's office in 1994 when the clerk's office was still in the old historic courthouse, now located across from the street from the present courthouse and now owned by Georgia College & State University.

He said he was going to miss the job.

"I've always been a public servant," Longino said. "That was what I always wanted to do and [former clerk] Rosemary [Phillips] gave me the opportunity to get into this. I walked into the door and fell in love with it and wanted to do it every since. "I've kinda just moved my way on up over the years. After I had been here 15 or 20 years I knew that's what I wanted to do so I could help out as much as possible."

Longino said he will miss members of his staff, as well as the general public and many friends.

"And I'll miss the community and helping people," he added.

Longino said his heart is happy knowing he had appointed someone as professional asPaul to succeed him as the county's new clerk.

"I feel so good, pleased and excited that she's taking over for me because I know she's going to do a wonderful job," Longino said.

Paul has indicated she plans to seek election to the office in 2024.

Longingwas appointed to the clerk's position eight years ago.

Out of the many challenges he faced as clerk of courts, Longino said the biggest onewas the COVID-19 global pandemic that lingered for 2 1/2 years.

"Of course, like everything, there were hurdles to get over, but me and the other constitutional officers, the D.A., solicitors, and judges all figured out a plan," Longino. "We didn't even know what Zoom was back in 2019, but I sure got to know it very well in 2020."

Even though COVID shut us down for two weeks, Longino said he was in the office every day.

"It was challenging because you never knew who was going to get it or if the courts were going to have to be shut down again because of the outbreak," Longino recalled.

Where courts shut down in other parts of the state and fell behind by a year or so, Baldwin County was fortunate that it didn't happen locally.

Asked what it was like to have retired Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Hugh P. Thompson attend his retirement reception, Longino said it was wonderful.

"When I started the clerk's office, he was already gone as our chief Superior Court judge, and Billy Prior Jr. had taken over back then," Longino said.

The Longinos and Thompsons have known each other for years.

"I'm very proud and honored that he came," Longino said.