Filing period has opened in Platte County
Six countywide officeholder positions will be on the ballot this year in Platte County. It appears three of the current officeholders will not be seeking re-election.
Current presiding commissioner Ron Schieber, who was first elected in 2014, has long indicated he will not be running in 2022. Gloria Boyer, longtime recorder of deeds, has also made it known she will be stepping away. What wasn’t known until recently is that Nancy Armstrong, county clerk since being chosen in the 2014 election, is also stepping away.
“It’s true that I am not seeking re-election,” Armstrong told The Landmark this week. She added: “I want to let everyone know that it has been an honor serving the citizens of Platte County for two terms as county clerk. I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to work and learn from my fellow officeholders, co-workers and community leaders. As for the future, I look forward to having family time and pursuing new opportunities.”
Armstrong’s decision not to run for re-election has some Republican leaders actively searching for someone to fill the spot on the ballot in 2022.
“Since Nancy told the county commission that she was retiring, I have been trying to recruit someone to run,” said Joe Vanover, second district commissioner. “Several others have been reaching out to prospective candidates as well.”
Vanover made that comment on Monday night when no one had yet registered to run for county clerk. By Tuesday mid-day, there had been a development, as a candidate filed for clerk on the Republican ticket.
Prior to becoming county clerk, Armstrong worked in banking.
“She brought extensive experience in the fields of finance and accounting to the office,” Vanover told The Landmark this week.
Filing opened last Tuesday, Feb. 22. As of mid-day on Tuesday, March 1, the following people had registered as candidates with the Platte County Board of Elections:
Presiding commissioner: John DeFoor, Sr., Democrat; and Scott Fricker, Republican.
County clerk: Laurie Walls, Republican.
County auditor: Kevin Robinson, incumbent, Republican.
Recorder of deeds: Travis Youmans, Republican.
County collector: Sheila L. Palmer, incumbent, Republican.
Prosecuting attorney: Eric Zahnd, incumbent, Republican.
Back on the topic of finding a candidate for county clerk, Vanover stressed the importance of having an organized person in that office.
“For local government to operate well, it is critical that we have a professional and organized person serving as county clerk,” Vanover said this week. “The county clerk has many behind-the-scenes duties necessary to keep local government running.”
He added that “a good county clerk stays out of the headlines. A disorganized clerk will have many opportunities to embarrass local government.” The county clerk’s office has a staff of two employees.
Vanover praised the job performance of Armstrong over the past eight years as county clerk.
“Nancy Armstrong has done her job with utmost professionalism. We are fortunate to have her in that role for eight years,” he remarked.
Although the county clerk position is a partisan elected official, Vanover says the work of the position is non-partisan.
“If we were designing local government today from scratch, the county clerk would probably be a hired position,” he said.
The county clerk, auditor, recorder, collector, and presiding commissioner’s annual salary beginning on Jan. 1, 2023 will be $71,443 per year due to a recent six percent pay increase that was recently voted in by the Platte County Salary Commission, which is comprised of the county’s elected officials. The associate commissioner’s salary must be $2,000 less than the presiding commissioner.
The deadline to file for county office is Tuesday, March 29 at 5 p.m.