Meet Greenport's new clerk, Candace Hall, a familiar local face
Greenport native Candace Hall, pictured here in Mitchell Park, has taken over as the village's clerk. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
A familiar face is now greeting residents at village hall in Greenport.
Last month Candace Hall took an oath as village clerk before starting in the role Monday.
Her roots in Greenport run deep: she is the granddaughter of Delores Bertha Swann Shelby, or “Bootsie,” who for decades worked in the cafeteria of the village's only public school and set an example of giving back to the community.
Hall, 34, grew up in Greenport and spent her formative years as a teenager in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
Hall made an unsuccessful bid for Southold town clerk in 2021. Then she worked as an office administrator at Peconic Community School before Mayor Kevin Stuessi approached her about the appointed, four-year position that had been vacant since June.
She recently spoke with Newsday about the new opportunity, her affinity for public service and her pride in her hometown.
Her interview was edited for length and clarity.
How did your time in the nation's Capitol steer you toward public service?
It’s a colorful place. There’s representation of all cultures. It made me fearless. It made me willing to step into rooms where nobody looks like me, where I'm the youngest person — and I'm not intimidated by that.
What did you learn from running for elected office?
It showed me my home in a very different lens, seeing what people care about and what they expect from leaders. That’s a really important piece of that whole process, hearing what’s important to people.
What’s your first priority as clerk?
The clerk's office is like the customer service hub of government. People aren’t coming to village hall to pay their taxes with huge smiles on their faces, so the least we can do is be kind.
I want to build a team. The office is short-staffed — people are jumping in to fill in the blanks so that the show continues on. The more connected a team is, the better service we can provide.
The clerk’s office was at the center of an election controversy in March when only two of nine candidates were set to appear on the ballot due to a paperwork error. What’s your takeaway from that?
There is a lot of legality. I want to make sure that if I have questions about something, I’m confident asking the people that can help. I have an incredible resource in deputy clerk Jeanmarie Oddon.
Transparency in government is vital. It’s important for me to do my due diligence so I make sure candidates have the information they need. It’s something I plan to spend a lot of time learning.
What are you looking forward to?
I take great joy in organizing, and there’s a lot of record keeping. There are a lot of historical documents in village hall that should be honored and stored properly.
Are there any challenges you anticipate?
Modernizing — there are people who will always walk into village hall with paper checks. There’s definitely some space to grow. You have to strike the right balance.
A familiar face is now greeting residents at village hall in Greenport.
Last month Candace Hall took an oath as village clerk before starting in the role Monday.
Her roots in Greenport run deep: she is the granddaughter of Delores Bertha Swann Shelby, or “Bootsie,” who for decades worked in the cafeteria of the village's only public school and set an example of giving back to the community.
Hall, 34, grew up in Greenport and spent her formative years as a teenager in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
More about Candace Hall
- With her family, Hall co-chairs an annual youth basketball tournament in Greenport each summer.
- She is the second woman of color to serve as Greenport's clerk.
- Hall studied fashion in college, but left college to work in a preschool and says one of her "true loves" is "empowering kids."
Hall made an unsuccessful bid for Southold town clerk in 2021. Then she worked as an office administrator at Peconic Community School before Mayor Kevin Stuessi approached her about the appointed, four-year position that had been vacant since June.
She recently spoke with Newsday about the new opportunity, her affinity for public service and her pride in her hometown.
Her interview was edited for length and clarity.
How did your time in the nation's Capitol steer you toward public service?
It’s a colorful place. There’s representation of all cultures. It made me fearless. It made me willing to step into rooms where nobody looks like me, where I'm the youngest person — and I'm not intimidated by that.
What did you learn from running for elected office?
It showed me my home in a very different lens, seeing what people care about and what they expect from leaders. That’s a really important piece of that whole process, hearing what’s important to people.
What’s your first priority as clerk?
The clerk's office is like the customer service hub of government. People aren’t coming to village hall to pay their taxes with huge smiles on their faces, so the least we can do is be kind.
I want to build a team. The office is short-staffed — people are jumping in to fill in the blanks so that the show continues on. The more connected a team is, the better service we can provide.
The clerk’s office was at the center of an election controversy in March when only two of nine candidates were set to appear on the ballot due to a paperwork error. What’s your takeaway from that?
There is a lot of legality. I want to make sure that if I have questions about something, I’m confident asking the people that can help. I have an incredible resource in deputy clerk Jeanmarie Oddon.
Transparency in government is vital. It’s important for me to do my due diligence so I make sure candidates have the information they need. It’s something I plan to spend a lot of time learning.
What are you looking forward to?
I take great joy in organizing, and there’s a lot of record keeping. There are a lot of historical documents in village hall that should be honored and stored properly.
Are there any challenges you anticipate?
Modernizing — there are people who will always walk into village hall with paper checks. There’s definitely some space to grow. You have to strike the right balance.
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