Courthouse turbulence: Two elected officials and CFO announce departures

Two Lake County elected officials and the chief financial officer announced last week that they are leaving the courthouse in the near future.

Clerk and Recorder Katie Harding submitted her resignation, effective May 12, and says she plans to pursue other career opportunities. County Treasurer Robin Vert-Rubel is also stepping down, effective June 30. Both were reelected to four-year terms in November.

CFO Scott Beggs submitted his resignation last week too.

According to County Commissioner Gale Decker, “All three people departing have offered to help during the transition period, and we are updating job descriptions in order to get job advertisements out ASAP.”

“Obviously, they are key to the operation of the county and it is our hope that we will be able to fill them with qualified people,” Decker said.

Decker said filling the positions of the two elected officials may require the commissioners to pass a Resolution of Intent to fill the positions by appointment. That would trigger a public comment period and hearing “to weigh public input prior to any decision being made.”

Harding served as the Lake County Election Administrator from November 2016 through November 2020. She was appointed to serve as the Clerk and Recorder, as well as Auditor, Surveyor and Public Administrator, in November of 2020, and was elected to the post last November.

She lists the highlights of her tenure in the elections office as registering 18-year-olds for the first time, calling candidates to let them know they had won their election, serving on the Montana Election Technology Advisory Council for four years, and administering the 2018 Federal General Election when she was nine months pregnant.

Working with the public has been the most rewarding aspect of her work as Clerk and Recorder. “You have the honor of working with folks from every corner of Lake County and help in so many different areas,” she said.

On the other hand, “the most challenging portion of the job is all the hats you wear. Most just see the job as the Clerk and Recorder but you are actually elected to four different roles (that) I believe to be just as important.”

Vert-Rubel was appointed to complete a term Feb. 1, 2018, elected the following November, and again in November 2022 for another four-year term. The Leader also reached out to her for comment, but didn’t hear back by presstime.

Despite the trio of impending departures, “I doubt the public will notice the changes occurring and the commissioners will do their best to make sure the public and our departments continue receiving necessary services,” Decker said.