I, Karen Grigsby, your current County Treasurer, am formally announcing my retirement at the end of my term, December 31, 2022. I came to work for Terry County July 1, 2002 as a Deputy Clerk in the Tax Accessor Collector’s office under the Honorable Redelle Martin. I worked as a Second Deputy and then a First Deputy in that office for over three years before transitioning to First Deputy Assistant Treasurer in the Treasurer’s office under the Honorable Bobbye Jo Floyd in November of 2005. I worked as Assistant Treasurer for Bobbye Jo for eight years until her retirement at the end of 2014. I will always credit her for giving me the knowledge, training and experience to run for this office and be elected as your County Treasurer January 1, 2015.
I have been so blessed and honored to have served as your County Treasurer for the last almost eight years and want to thank the citizens of this County for putting your trust in me to hold this office. It has been the best, most fulfilling job I have ever had. I will have over twenty years with Terry County at the end of my term next year and have enjoyed serving the citizens, other County offices, Officials and employees during these years. Again, thank you all for the privilege and honor of serving Terry County.
I would also like to take this time to publicly endorse my Assistant Treasurer, Andrea Perry, for the upcoming Republican Primary Election in March 2022. Andrea has been my Assistant Treasurer for over seven years and I am confident she has the knowledge, training and experience to step in and run this office in the manner it should be held. When the public thinks of the Treasurer’s office, they think of us handling the money of Terry County and yes, this is a main core duty of the County Treasurer, being a good steward of all money taken in by the County but there are so many aspects of this position that the public is not aware of. Other core duties we are responsible for are Human Resources which include payroll for all County offices, implementing Retirement, Unemployment, Medical, Dental and Life insurance for all employees. We are responsible for all tax reports, State quarterly reports and working very closely with the County Auditor’s office as a double check system for all receivables and payables for the County. We serve the County as well by keeping Cemetery records in our office by selling spaces, collecting open and close fees for funeral services and maintaining all payroll, tax reports and records of the Cemetery Association.
Andrea is fully trained in all these aspects of the office, and that is so valuable in running and keeping the continuity of the office going with all of the responsibilities we have. It helps to have established relationships with County co-workers and Elected Officials as well. I have no doubt she will serve the County well as the next County Treasurer.
Lastly, I would just like to congratulate all of the candidates that have filed to run in the upcoming Primary Election for offices in the County. It is a great responsibility to serve the citizens of Terry County. I hope all of you will run your campaigns respectfully, with integrity and in a dignified way to all candidates and without bashing or bullying. You all deserve respect and dignity for having the fortitude to file for a public office and to run on your merits. I hope the local media will take great care in the future to not print interviews that allow any candidate to use this behavior in their campaigns.
Written by Karen Grigsby
