Rhonda Dunn has been wearing two hats lately.
She is simultaneously the Bourbon County Treasurer and the Community Development Director for the City of Fort Scott.
But that will be ending within the month as she resigns as treasurer next week. That resignation will start a political process to replace her.
Her city job is an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. one. The county treasurer tasks are done in the evening and weekends, she said.
“I try to be there (at the treasurer’s office) on Tuesdays for the county commission meeting,” Dunn said. ” I don’t have a set schedule for it.”
“When I considered the job at the city, I discussed it with the county commission,” she said. “When offered the job, the city agreed for me to stay on to help with the transition.”
“It took a good team at the treasurer’s office and a lot of support from them,” she said.
“It’s hard to let go of the county (position),” Dunn said. “I went to the city because I also have a career path at the city, that no elected official will have with the county.”
“Your elected Bourbon County officials are underpaid,” she said. “Compared to other counties, the pay scale is out of whack. I don’t want to raise taxes, I don’t want to pay higher taxes. The county can’t afford to fix it.”
“I’m going to miss working at the courthouse,” she said. “We were working on good things. But it’s exciting to focus on a new task that the city has given me.”
Process to replace
Dunn was elected county treasurer in November 2012 and took office almost a year later, in October 2013.
“It’s been that way since maybe the 1800s,” Dunn said. “It (the treasurer’s position) runs with the tax cycle, which starts November 1 each year. We take office the second Tuesday of October.”
Dunn will officially resign as county treasurer the second Wednesday, October 10, with her resignation effective Friday, November 3.
“I give notice to the governor, then the governor tells the local Republican party to replace me,” she said.
A convention of delegates must be called within 21 days of the governor accepting her resignation, according to Randall Readinger, the chairman of the Bourbon County Republican Party Central Committee.
“It’s an open meeting, but the only people voting are the committeemen and women of record as of that notice date,” Readinger said.
“When Rhonda first took the job, several people were interested at that point,” Readinger said. “We’ll get a feel for the (potential) person’s capabilities and understanding of Bourbon County.”
“At this point, we don’t have a definite replacement,” he said. “We will evaluate any that express interest when the event comes. It’s a process we are familiar with. We replaced the sheriff and county attorney.”
Although she doesn’t have a vote in the replacement, Dunn is hoping someone from the county treasurer’s office will get elected.
“That will be the easiest transition,” Dunn said.
It sounds like the Treasurer’s position isn’t actually a full time job if it is something that can be done in the evenings by someone who is a full time employee somewhere else. Maybe the county can save some money by making the Treasurer’s position encompass that job in addition to some of the part time office staff.
I agree, I never thought it was proper for her to get two salaries. I also could not understand how she could do a good job at either position if she was not completely devoted to either one.
It sounds like she was working a 40 hour week at the city and was doing the Treasurer job on nights and weekends. But if it is a half time job, then the Treasurer could probably do the work of one of the part time people in the office and free up the money that is being spent on those wages.
I think it was clear she couldn’t do a good job at either. Our community is still trying to recover from her mistakes
I disagree with replacing with someone already in the County Treasurer’s office. These are the same people who knew what was going on in 2012 and before. I want more integrity from a Treasurer.
I think that maybe I can clarify how this can happen. It is my belief that the treasurer does not have to be present as long as her office runs effectively. Anyway that is what I was told. She is paid salary not hourly. I am sorry to see Rhonda leave but I’m not sure I agree with what should be 2 full time jobs.
If we’ve been getting a part time Treasurer for the past 12 months and everything has worked ok, then it sounds like there may be more staff in that department than what is needed.