You could always find her taking care of business at her desk at the city’s municipal court. As Chief Court Clerk, Barbara Scarborough, made sure everything ran smoothly for Municipal Judge Frances Cases, but after 28 years on the job, she is moving on.

Barbara Scarborough

At the June 7 City Council meeting Mayor Ravi Bhasker thanked Scarborough for her years of service.

“The city is losing one of its longtime employees and we thank her for her loyalty,” Bhasker said. “Barbara has been very communicative and responsive with our office, and we congratulate her on her retirement.”

Judge Cases recalled at the online Zoom meeting that Scarborough had been with the office for three years by the time she was appointed Chief Clerk in 1996.

“Since she has been Chief Clerk, she has been an invaluable employee at the Municipal Court,” Cass said. “She’s been very dedicated. Very loyal. We overcame the pandemic because the office was already running pretty smoothly.”

Joining the meeting via telephone, Scarborough thanked Cases and the councilors.

“It’s been amazing,” she said. “Twenty-eight years with the city, and then having a wonderful boss. I could go forever. But I just want to thank each and every one of you.”

In a separate interview, Scarborough expressed her gratitude for her soon-to-be former boss.

“I’ve known her my whole life. She’s been very fair,” Scarborough said of Cases. “I love where I work. I enjoy coming to work every morning, and I know that is unusual to say. I’ve worked other jobs, but this job, there wasn’t a day when I didn’t want to come to work. That’s how good the relationship was. We’re just pretty much open here. I mean if there was a problem you just get together and talk about it.”

She said part of her regrets having to turn in her notice.

“It’s just that I know I’m healthy now and who’s to say I won’t be in two years,” she said.  “If I could go any longer I would, but I’m at the age of my life where I want to do something different.”

Scarborough said traveling is at the top of her post-retirement list, along with working in her yard and making all-day trips to Albuquerque with her sister, Patty Monette.

“My husband, Duffy Scarborough, passed 10 years ago and since then I’ve done nothing but work,” Scarborough said. “Now I’m going to do things for me. There are a lot of things that I haven’t done, like doing some traveling. So, my last work is June 30 and then I’m going to be catching a plane to go to Las Vegas for five days.

“I’m a very responsible person. Sometimes I’d like to be a little irresponsible,” she joked.

Cases told the city council Brittany McDaniel will be replacing Scarborough as Chief Clerk.

“She has been working in the office for close to 10 years. She came to us originally as a summer worker when she was in high school,” Cases said. “We trained her and she is also very dedicated. So, I want the council to know she’s done a very good job.”