McALESTER — Pittsburg County commissioners went into a closed door executive session Monday to discuss the appointment of an interim Pittsburg County clerk. Current Pittsburg County Clerk Janice Barker has handed in her resignation. She said she plans to retire from the office, effective Thursday, “Upon my physician’s advice.”
“I’ve worked here for 20 years,” Barker told the News-Capital after the meeting. “I’ve enjoyed serving with everyone.” Barker said she would have preferred to keep working, but is retiring for health reasons. “This was a fantastic job,” she said. “I loved my job.” Barker won a four-year term in office last year when no filed against her for the county clerk’s seat, which was up for election.
“That’s why this is so hard,” she said. Barker started in the county clerk’s office in the land recordings section, eventually winning promotion to second deputy and then to first deputy under then-County Clerk Debbie Lenox Burch.
When Burch retired in the middle of her term, Barker won the 2010 election to name Burch’s successor. An agenda item for the commissioners’ Monday stated the item’s purpose was “to discuss the appointment of an interim county clerk due to the retirement of Janice Barker ...” District 3 Commissioner/Commission Chairman Ronnie Young, District 2 Commissioner Kevin Smith and District 1 Commissioner Gene Rogers met for about a half-hour behind closed doors with District 18 Assistant District Attorney Chuck Sullivan during the Monday meeting.
Sullivan has been serving as the commissioners’ adviser from District 18 District Attorney Farley Ward’s office. The commissioners took no action or vote on the matter when the meeting resumed, since the agenda did not call for any action to be taken at that time.
All three commissioners spoke with the News-Capital following the meeting about what they figured they would do, however. The commissioners said they will likely appoint someone to serve as interim county clerk, until the next scheduled county election, which is in 2014.
Smith said the commissioners haven’t yet determined exactly when they will make that appointment. “We have not considered a date,” he said. The appointment will have to be placed on a meeting agenda and be voted on by the county commissioners before it can take effect. Asked who will run the office after Barker’s retirement becomes effective Thursday, the commissioners said they will let county clerk employees Hope Trammell and Cindy Young run the office until they appoint someone to the interim county clerk’s post.
“They’re both first deputies,” Rogers said. Trammell is chief deputy of the county clerk’s office, while Cindy Young is payroll deputy, according to Barker. The election for a new county clerk will be considered a special election if it is placed on the ballot in 2014 as planned.
Although it will be a special election, the commissioners plan to place it on the ballot along with other county and state offices which will be up for election in two years. Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.
For more on this story, see the print or electronic editions of the McAlester News-Capital. Click here for print edition home delivery or click here to see the Smart Edition for your computer, tablet, e-reader or smartphone.
Raw: Widespread Destruction in Moore, Okla.
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul
Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor
Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety
Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado
Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood
Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School
Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma
Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma
Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead
White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media
Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq
Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival
Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital
Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
IWitness Look at Moore, OK Tornado
Trailer: 'The Last Stand' Available on Blu-ray Disc, DVD, Digital Download
Pickler's Dance Moves Cause A Stir
Okla. tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble
RAW: Moore, OK tornado touches down near school
Sneak Peek: 'Modern Family' Says Good Bye
Robert Pattinson Moves Out
RAW: Russian dash cam catches car 20 feet in the air
Oklahoma tornado survivor: "Everything is gone"
Khloe Lashes Out at Kim Kardashian's Critics
Couple Argues As Woman's Lover Crawls Out Window
RAW: Brad Paisley Forgets Lyrics To His Own Song
Justin Bieber Gets Booed
RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado
New 'Anchorman 2' Trailer, Drake Joins List of Rumored Cameos
Eva Longoria's Wardrobe Malfunction
Heat Star Dwyane Wade Surprises Coral Gables Teen At Prom
Steak n' Shake waitress scores huge tip
Singer Miguel Accidentally Lands on Fan At Billboard Music Awards
Celebs Celebrate the Rise of the Side Butt
