This green metal bench is located at the southern New Madrid County Courthouse entrance. The Courthouse is located at 450 Main Street in New Madrid, Missouri.
Clyde M. Hawes
New Madrid County Assessor 1976 - 1996
Presiding Commissioner 1998 - 2014
From Portageville Missourian-News December 26, 2014 - (
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"Clyde Hawes started out working for the New Madrid County Assessors office as a junior assessor, prior to being elected as County Assessor. He was then was elected New Madrid County Presiding Commissioner. What else can Clyde Hawes do? In his opinion, retire! On Monday, New Madrid County elected officials and employees honored Hawes for his many years of service, and for the dedication he has proven to the county.
At a retirement reception and luncheon held at the New Madrid County Courthouse, several state and community leaders were on hand to congratulate Hawes and wish him the best for his future. The program began at Noon, with state Senator Doug Libla, presenting Hawes with a Missouri Senate Resolution, drafted in his honor. Next, on behalf of Rep. Steve Hodges, former state representative Terry Swinger presented Hawes with a similar resolution, from the Missouri House of Representatives, along with a letter from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Next, New Madrid County Clerk Clement Cravens read a letter of affirmation from Eighth U.S. District Congressman Jason Smith. Finally, northern district commissioner Mark Baker made a presentation from the County of New Madrid.
Hawes began working for Preston Utterback, the then-County Assessor, in 1956. "When I started out, there were six of us that worked for the county. In 1956, Utterback gave me the East Prairie/Matthews road; the next year, the Kewanee road; then, (the road) to New Madrid. The last seven years, I walked the entire New Madrid County by myself. It took me three months to do that," said Hawes. "I enjoyed working with Preston. He was here for 28 years as assessor."
Hawes was elected as New Madrid County Assessor in 1976. He was elected the county's Presiding Commissioner, in 1998, but did not begin his term until the following year. The County Assessor's term is a little odd. Most other county officials are elected and begin their terms in January, but the assessor term begins in September. As Hawes explained it, "Because, as the current assessor, I would have to get the new January tax book ready for the new assessor."
Hawes continued, "When I was assessor, we did not have computers. We had 8½" x 11" typing paper that we would draw out maps on. Portageville and New Madrid were already mapped out, but the smaller communities were not. If there was a new subdivision, you had to draw up a new map, then add that to the current description."
"In 1982-83, back when we had a reassessment, that was the best thing that happened to the county. That is when we were able to get aerial photography with the mapping. Made getting the descriptions easier. The pictures were done in the winter months, with no foliage," Hawes explained. "With reassessment, we had a lot of legal descriptions. Some of the smaller communities would have 60 foot wide streets, and houses would be built out in the middle of the street, on the plat, and we had to change a lot of deeds," he said.
Speaking from the Presiding Commissioner's perspective, Hawes said, "The county is in good finances, but yet, it is a nip-and-tuck budget, from the standpoint that, when you do not have tax increases, you still have the cost of everything going up. Hospitalization and health care can really tear us up. Sometimes, the cost doesn't go up, but then the next year, it may increase 20-30 percent. We have good coverage on our employees, but may have to cut back on some of it."
Hawes continued, "Another thing that we are doing is keeping the courthouse in good condition. We try not to do away with the historical aspect of the building, especially since we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the courthouse. There is an expense with the heating, cooling and plumbing, and the remodeling that has been done throughout the years, but it is a beautiful building and in good condition," he added.
"Our road department is (also) doing a very good job in grading the gravel roads and (in the) upkeep of the bridges. We are trying to replace all of the wooden bridges in the county. We have 156 bridges, countywide, and we lack 25, in getting them all replaced," Hawes said. "One of the drawbacks that I did not like, but had to deal with, were state mandates....when the state of Missouri gives us a mandate that we have to comply with, but does not give us any means to fund it. There are some things that we have to replace or to change, and it is at the taxpayers' expense. Some of these items can be expensive. If they are going to give you a mandate to do something, they, the state, should provide you with the means of complying." he stated.
In retirement, Hawes said he plans to continue to be out in the county, "seeing all the folks.""