County Clerk Beth Walker submits surprise resignation

Beth Walker

Nodaway County officials reacted with surprise and puzzlement this week following the sudden resignation Wednesday afternoon of veteran County Clerk Beth Walker, who was less than a year into her fourth term.

Shortly before walking out of the County Administration Building around 3 p.m., Walker circulated copies of a brief letter to Gov. Jay Nixon, whose job it will be to appoint her replacement.

The letter stated Walker is expecting the birth of her first grandchild later this year and wishes to spend more time with her family.

“This letter is to inform you that effective today, September 9, I submit my resignation as Nodaway County Clerk,” Walker wrote. “My retirement plans include spending more time with my family and traveling. We are expecting our first grandchild in December and our only child lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. I want to be able to spend time with this new grandchild and visit as often as possible without the conflict and responsibility of this office.”

Technically on vacation, Walker stated in the letter that she would “be available to my Deputy Clerks during this transition.”

Walker also told Nixon she had informed representatives of the local Democratic and Republican parties of her departure.

Since Walker is a Democrat, it would be usual for the governor, also a Democrat, to select her replacement based on recommendations submitted by the county Democratic committee.

According to Channing Ansley of the governor’s office, the appointed clerk will fill the remaining three-plus years of Walker’s unexpired term, meaning that there will not be a special election.

“It has been an honor to be a public servant as well as Nodaway County’s first woman County Clerk,” Walker concluded in the letter to Nixon, “and a joy to serve the voters and taxpayers of this county for almost 13 years …”

Walker, 62, also mentioned her decision on Facebook in a post characterizing her departure as retirement rather than a resignation.

“It’s official!” she wrote. “I retired today to spend more time with my loving hubby, family and friends. … Thanks to everyone for their support over the years. Time to start a new chapter in my life.”

Employees in the clerk’s office said Walker, who lives with her husband, Mike Walker, near Burlington Junction, was expected to be out of town for at least two weeks.

Count Assessor Rex Wallace said Thursday that Walker’s announcement took him completely by surprise, and that he learned of her decision only after seeing a copy of her letter to the governor.

He described Walker as “very skilled at her job” and praised her conscientiousness and ability with regard to running elections — the clerk’s central responsibility — and mastering new technology.

Presiding County Commissioner Bill Walker, no relation, said he spoke with Walker shortly before she left the Administration Center on Wednesday when the clerk entered the commission chambers to announce her decision.

The commission was in session at the time, but Mr. Walker said that only he and North District Commissioner Robert Westfall were present, and that South District Commissioner Robert Stiens was out conducting a road inspection.

“I think she just wants to be with her family,” said Walker, who added that he was unaware of any job-related issues or problems within the clerk’s office.

“Everything was just going great,” he said. “Perfect.”

Westfall said that though Walker has left, he is confident that the two deputy clerks on staff, Karen Leader and Lorraine O’Donnell, will be able to continue carrying out the functions of the office.

“Of course, we’re going to have to bear down a little bit to see what we can do to help them,” Westfall said. “We’ll just have to get with the program and do what we can to make it work. We have some good people here.”

Walker was first sworn in as clerk in January 2003 after being elected to succeed the retiring John Zimmerman. At the time of her resignation, she was about four months shy of completing the first year of a regular four-year term that would have ended in 2018.

Zimmerman served as Nodaway County Clerk for more than three decades with Walker working in the office as a deputy during his final four years.