PROFESSIONALISM • INTEGRITY • COMPASSION
Cliff Berg for Clinton County Coroner
My entire life has been dedicated to serving others. I was born and raised in Clinton County, and throughout my career I have worked in positions that required compassion, professionalism, leadership, and the ability to remain calm during difficult situations.
I served as an EMT, responding to emergency calls and assisting individuals and families during times of crisis. I then spent seven years as a New York State Correction Officer at Clinton Correctional Facility, where I worked with individuals facing serious mental health challenges and participated in investigations involving suicides, violent incidents, and deaths. Through these experiences, I developed skills in report writing, investigations, evidence handling, chain of custody procedures, and maintaining the care, custody, and control of evidence. These responsibilities taught me the importance of professionalism, attention to detail, integrity, and treating every person with dignity and respect.
Today, I am a successful business owner, employing local residents and serving families and businesses throughout Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties. My company was honored to be voted the Best Electrical Company serving Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties. I was also honored to be recognized by Strictly Business Magazine as one of the region's Top 20 Under 40 emerging business leaders.
Community service has always been important to me. I am an active member of the Noon Plattsburgh Rotary Club, the Plattsburgh Lions Club, and the Plattsburgh North Country Chamber of Commerce. These organizations have allowed me to work alongside many dedicated individuals who share a commitment to making our community stronger.
I am running because I believe the Coroner's Office can do more than simply respond after a tragedy. The Coroner's Office does not have to be the last responder—it can be the first outreach. By working closely with local law enforcement, emergency services, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations, we can educate our community and help keep our loved ones safe from unnecessary deaths.
Through education and community engagement, we can raise awareness about suicide prevention, mental health, impaired and distracted driving, infant safety, and other preventable causes of death. My goal is not only to serve families during their darkest moments but also to help prevent those moments from happening whenever possible.
As your Coroner, I will bring professionalism, integrity, compassion, and a commitment to serving every family with the respect they deserve. I am ready to work hard for the people of Clinton County and help move the Coroner's Office forward.
I would be honored to earn your support and your vote.
Thank you,
Clifford Berg
Why I’m Running for Clinton County Coroner
In November 2025, my family experienced two life-changing events within days of each other.
My grandmother suffered a fall that resulted in a serious brain bleed. Given her age and condition, doctors were unsure if she would survive. Wanting family to have the opportunity to see her, I called my brother, Scott, and asked him to come home.
Scott came to Plattsburgh and spent the week by my side. We visited our grandmother together, went out to eat, talked, laughed, and spent time as a family. As the days went on, my grandmother began improving, and we were hopeful.
On November 21, Scott’s girlfriend came to town. He decided to spend the evening with her and stay at a hotel. Around 6:00 p.m., Scott called and invited me to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. After a long day of work, I told him I was exhausted and would catch up with him the next day.
I never got that chance.
At approximately 11:00 p.m., I received a phone call from the New York State Police and my sister. They told me life-saving measures were being performed on Scott and that I needed to get there immediately.
I rushed to the scene.
Fire trucks, ambulances, and emergency personnel filled the area. As I entered the building, I could hear Scott’s girlfriend screaming in heartbreak and disbelief. Before anyone said a word, I knew.
Investigators explained that despite every effort, they were unable to revive my brother.
Scott was only 47 years old.
The shock and grief were overwhelming. But what followed was something I never expected.
Months passed.
Then more months passed.
Today, more than eight months later, our family still has unanswered questions. We have received little communication. No meaningful updates. No outreach. No guidance through a process that most families know nothing about. Friends and family still ask what happened, and we often have no answers to give.
No family should feel forgotten during one of the most painful times of their lives.
This experience showed me that the Coroner’s Office is about much more than investigating a death. It is about serving families. It is about communication, compassion, transparency, and treating people with dignity during their darkest moments.
That is why I am running for Clinton County Coroner.
I cannot change what happened to my family, but I can work to ensure other families receive the support, communication, and respect they deserve. Families should not be left wondering. They should not be left feeling abandoned by the system when they need answers the most.
As your Coroner, I will make family communication a priority. I will work to ensure families receive updates, understand the process, and know that someone is there to help guide them through an unimaginable loss.
The worst day of someone’s life is not the time for silence.
It’s the time for compassion, communication, and accountability.
That’s why I’m running. Because Clinton County families deserve better.
Help Move the Coroner’s Office Forward
Clinton County
cliff.berg@cliffberg.com