PLATTSBURGH — History was on the mind of many people in the Clinton County Government Center today.
Brandi Lloyd, who won election in November to become Clinton County’s newest clerk since 1995, etched her name in the history books as the first woman to ever hold the position after she was sworn-in in front of dozens of supporters, friends and family Friday morning.
It is a feat Lloyd is not taking lightly.
“It’s huge, right? To think that you’re the first to do anything, like when you set a record or you’re the fastest runner in high school or you’re the first one in your family to graduate from college,” she said.
“Those firsts are important. When you see your kid take their first step, it’s fun, and this is big. I think it’ll take some time to settle in. The brevity of it, if you will, will start to hit a little harder, but I’m so honored, and I just hope I can live up to that first and serve the community well.”
Lloyd, a Democrat, is succeeding long-time Republican John Zurlo, who served as county clerk since 1995.
Zurlo was re-elected as clerk seven times, most recently in November of 2023 when he ran against Lloyd to secure his final term in office and become the longest serving clerk in county history.
However, nearly one year into his last term, Zurlo died in December of 2024 at 86 years old. His passing led to Lloyd running again and winning the position in 2025.
Lloyd said today that she feels additional pressure to live up to Zurlo’s long legacy, which was honored last year when his name was added to the front of the Clinton County Government Center.
“Those shoes are impossible to fill,” Lloyd said, referring to Zurlo. “He definitely wore the path quite well, and I’m so thankful for that. There’s a path to follow, and I think we’re just gonna modernize along the way.”
By modernizing the office, Lloyd said one of her goals is to digitize all the records in the clerk’s office.
“It’ll make it easier for our abstractors that get in there and the various attorneys that need to see those records. It’s now that we need to digitize those before it’s too late,” she said. “So that’ll be the major goal on the county clerk side, with the DMV in February.”
Improving communication with the community will also be a goal of hers, she said.
Lloyd is already trying to do that by getting the word out that the DMV will be closed on some days in February as the state updates their systems.
“I really want to work on the DMV side with increasing communication, communicating through Facebook, getting things out through the media so that our community knows before they come and knock on that closed door — they know what’s going on. Or before they come to fill out that registration, they have all the paperwork because that’s what’s frustrating,” she said.
“So on the DMV side, I think communication is the key, and we’re going to work on making things a little simpler, a little more streamlined and to fit into your day better.”
Lloyd said she is fully prepared for the job to challenge her, but she is ready.
“There’ll be a big microscope, but I’m up for that big challenge, if you will, and the door is always open,” she said.
“I’m up for criticism. I take it as positive critiques on ways that we can serve you better because that’s who we’re here for is the community.”
Shortly after being sworn-in, Lloyd was already performing her first task as clerk: swearing in Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie for his sixth term and new county treasurer Randy Lozier for his first term.
“That’s what I want to do,” she said about the quick turnaround. “I just want to jump right in, get to know the job, help where I can, like I said, take some weight off of the office staff here. Any place that I can be that will help out, I’m looking forward to.”