VIENNA — There are many people in all our communities whose job is to serve the public. As a matter of fact most jobs involve some type of service to the public; waiters serve food, a cashier checks your purchases and the cable guy makes sure you do not miss the next episode of CSI. Police officers and firemen help keep us safe. It is important that citizens get informed on what services are offered to them.

Rooney Bowen III wants just that for the people of Dooly County. As the newly elected probate judge for the county, he wants to ensure that the citizens he has taken an oath to serve get the best service from him and his staff.

“I have a wonderful staff here,” said Bowen. “It has been very easy to walk into this job with these people. They are very confident and efficient. I know that when you surround yourself with good people the make you look good.”

Though Bowen has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Valdosta State University, he says that the best experience or training for such a position is life.

“I worked for my father in the state senate,” he said. “Doing so enabled me to work with most courts all throughout the state of Georgia. That gave me a lot of perspective on how to handle this office. I was also introduced to a number of people that I can look to if I have questions arise.”

Bowen gained even more insight into the position by serving on the Georgia State Board of Public Safety.

“The board actually sets policies for the Georgia State Patrol,” said Bowen. “This is certainly beneficial due to the number of traffic cases that come before the court.”

Some of the job responsibilities are estate planning such as; preparation of wills, living wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. The probate court also handles all vital records such as birth and death certificates. You cannot get married without a license and they also come from the probate office. They also issue firearm licenses.

“We handle traffic cases in Dooly County,” he said. “We handle cases for the county from the Georgia State Patrol, Dooly County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Natural Resources, and the MCCG.”

Bowen is also looking to make many positive changes in the daily operations of the probate court. The first of those he took care of immediately after taking office.

“The automated phone system is gone,” he said. “Now when citizens call the office during regular business hours they are greeted by myself or one of my staff, not a pre-recorded message. I think that has been one of the most frequent complaints heard during the election. The automated system is still utilized after business hours but that will soon be replace by a regular old answering machine.”

The county will be saving some $300 per month without the system and the citizens will be happier without it.

In an effort to serve the public with more convenience to the citizens Bowen now has reworked the hours of business to better suit the people.

“We are in office from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m.,” said Bowen. “Instead of closing the entire office down during the lunch hour, myself and my staff stagger lunches so there is always someone in the office to handle the needs of the public. A lot of our citizens get off work themselves to late in the day and often need to conduct their business during their lunch hours. Now they can do just that.”

Since assuming his position, Bowen has already began work on his biggest platform; educating youth on the laws. Bowen says he wants young people to see the potential consequences of their actions. He is calling this method a pre-trial diversion.

“I have had one youthful offender in for speeding,” he said. “If I had suspended the driver’s license, the student would not have been able to get back and forth to college. Instead I ordered that they interview one authority, a police officer, fire fighter, paramedic, or otherwise, that have worked a fatal accident. The offender was then required to report back to me. I am hoping that educating these young people will help them, so they do not become statistics.”

Bowen’s goal is to ultimately provide Dooly County with a friendly, efficient office recognizable, not only by Dooly County but the state of Georgia as well.

“I have always been interested in this position,” said Bowen. “It is not something that I take lightly Through this office there are so many ways that I can help people and I will do what I can. I encourage all citizens to contact us if they are in need of any assistance.”