Montgomery County Circuit Clerk Holly Lemons was named the Illinois Association of County Officials Official of the Year during this year’s spring conference on Tuesday evening, June 22, in Springfield.
“I was honored to receive the Illinois Association of County Officials Official of the Year,” Lemons said. “It’s truly humbling to stand before other officials and receive an award of that magnitude. I was blessed even more by my family being there for it.”
Each year, the Illinois Association of County Officials recognizes an outstanding county government official who best demonstrates the mission of improving the quality of county government through education, while promoting responsible public policy and providing ethical service and maintaining a high standard of importance.
In a nomination letter, Judge Jim Roberts of Hillsboro talked about the transformation of the circuit clerk’s office under Lemons’ watch.
“I can hardly remember the look of the circuit clerk’s office before Holly assumed the helm,” Roberts wrote. “She has completely transformed the office. Holly has been the epitome of modernization. She has undertaken the task of converting all paper files to electronic and digital records, and in the process reshaped the office to be as paperless as possible, not only as required, but to the greatest extent allowed by rule.”
Roberts also highlighted the new technology Lemons has brought to the Montgomery County court system.
Fellow circuit clerk for St. Clair County, Kahalah A. Clay also wrote a letter of recommendation for Lemons.
“Holly is an amazing, knowledgeable and respected circuit clerk, and she has excelled greatly in her role,” Clay wrote. “Holly leads a great office and she provide excellent service to the citizens of Montgomery County. She has implemented cutting edge technology and digitalization programming within her office over the last ten years.”
After graduating from Nokomis High School, Lemons earned her bachelor’s degree from Blackburn College in 2005 and her master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati in December 2009.
Lemons has served as the Montgomery County circuit clerk since June 9, 2009, and prior to that, she served as probation officer.
Lemons is the immediate past president of the Illinois Association of Court Clerks, chair of the Illinois Judicial College Circuit Court Clerks Education Committee and co-chair of the Legislative Committee.
She also serves a member of the Article V Committee, Oversight Committee, is a mentor with the Montgomery County CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program, a two-time president of the Hillsboro Rotary Club and a member of the Montgomery County Farm Bureau.
Lemons is one of the first circuit clerks to be asked to teach at the Judicial Education Conference in 2020.
She resides in Hillsboro with her husband, Rob, and their four daughters, Maui, age 13, Brylynn, age seven, and twins Aspen and Afton, age six. The family is also active in the Net Community Church in Staunton.
“I am forever grateful for the opportunity to serve my county,” Lemons said. “I am forever grateful for the friends that have become family through our association. God continues to blessed me with the opportunity to serve both and for that I’m thankful.”
