Supports Joan Gerhan

Dear Editor,

I’m writing this letter in support of Joan Gerhan as Town of St. Joseph clerk/treasurer. After nearly 47 years as her husband — even after factoring in some spouse bias — I think I am a credible judge of her character and skills. And this position requires both.

State statutes show that the clerk/treasurer position requires taking minutes, posting and publishing, maintaining the books, overseeing disbursement of funds, handling open records requests, assisting with budget preparation, examining and reconciling assessment roles, assuring elections are conducted correctly, acting as custodian of town records, issuing licenses, seeing that funds are legally disbursed, collecting property taxes and filing reports, etc., etc.

Those duties require experience in a multitude of areas. The position requires trust, the job demands dedication to detail.

Joan brings that and more to the table. Some of the things I’ve learned during our time together are that she is extremely dedicated to every task she takes on, and she sticks to each job until it is completed. She is no-nonsense, and she works hard. She is a team player and is fair in all that she does. Joan has 30-plus years of business experience that goes well beyond basic bookkeeping. She has stated her commitment to regular office hours and an open door policy for all.

We have family history in St. Joe. Since we returned to this area several years ago, Joan has taken the time to attend town meetings, getting involved as a citizen. Now she is willing to serve our town in an elected role as clerk/treasurer.

I made a great decision some 47 years ago; now the voters of St. Joseph can also have a valuable partner in Joan as well. I ask you to vote for her on April 5. You won’t regret it.

Tags: opinion, letters, elections