Clark County official and employee step down, latest in series of resignations
Published at
DUBOIS – Clark County is looking to replace two officials who recently stepped down, increasing the staffing shortages the county is already experiencing.
County Clerk Camille Messick resigned on June 30 after 18 months in the position. Road and Bridge Superintendent Jake Irick, who had been in the position for about two years, recently stepped down as well.
County Treasurer Lana Schwartz tells EastIdahoNews.com each of them had different reasons for resigning. In Messick’s case, it was personal.
“It didn’t quite fit with her family,” Schwartz says.
In an email to EastIdahoNews.com on June 15, Messick said she really enjoyed the work and the people she worked with and had no complaints about the job. She felt her kids needed more of her attention, and she couldn’t find a balance.
Messick was appointed to finish the term of the previous clerk in November 2021. She was re-elected for a four-year term in Nov. 2022. She will continue to work until a replacement is found.
Irick found a better-paying job, Schwartz says, which was the reason for his departure. The road and bridge supervisor is not an elected position.
The Clark County Republican Central Committee and the commissioners interviewed three candidates who applied for county clerk. No one was hired because neither group felt comfortable with the candidates. The committee has until Friday, July 14, to appoint someone for the role. If they’re unable to find someone who’s qualified and interested by then, the governor’s office will be responsible for filling the vacancy.
Mark Wilson has been hired as Irick’s replacement. He will start on Monday, July 17.
Wilson previously worked for the county as a mechanic for 12 years, and later worked for the state. EastIdahoNews.com was unable to reach Wilson for comment.
History of staffing shortages
This is the latest in a series of resignations in Clark County over the last several years. In November, John Clements abruptly resigned as sheriff after two years in office. A deputy and a dispatcher resigned around the same time.
Clements cited financial reasons as the motive behind his departure. At that time, he told us the lack of competitive pay and benefits, combined with staffing shortages, had become too much for him to handle.
In May, he filed a lawsuit against the county, alleging he was overworked as the county’s only law enforcement officer. Remaining on duty for days at a time with very little sleep caused him to collapse twice, he says.
It’s not clear whether the county has responded to the lawsuit.
The reasons the deputy and dispatcher resigned varied, according to Schwartz. She says the dispatchers also left for better-paying jobs elsewhere, and the deputy left to be closer to his family.
Commissioners hired Mark McClure as Clements’ replacement in December. Two full-time deputies and five dispatchers were later hired.
RELATED | Clark County appoints U.S. Navy veteran as new sheriff
Although finances played a role in Irick’s departure, Schwartz didn’t indicate there was bad blood between him and other county officials or that he was dissatisfied. It was simply a matter of being offered better pay for a job in the private sector.
“He could double his pay going back to his old job. The commissioners worked to (provide a counter offer) but just couldn’t match it,” says Schwartz.
Addressing finances
After losing numerous employees in the last several years, Schwartz says the county is doing what it can to address the financial aspect. Several state statutes restrict the county’s revenue, Schwartz says, which makes it difficult to find a long-term solution.
“We can only increase our taxing budget by 3%, even though inflation is more than that, cost of living is more than that. We’re really strapped by state statute on how we can increase our budget capacity,” she says.
PILT (payments in lieu of taxes) funds are largely responsible for the budget limitations. About 62% of the land in Clark County is federally owned. Camas National Wildlife Refuge is 17 miles south of Dubois off Interstate 15, and Spencer, Kilgore and Medicine Lodge have an abundance of camping, hunting and fishing opportunities.
And with fewer than 800 people in the entire county, the tax base is tiny. To offset that, the federal government allocates about $168,000 annually to Clark County in PILT payments, which helps pay the salaries of county employees.
Attempts to request additional funds is something commissioners have been looking into for years, but as Messick told us in January, it never seems to get anywhere.
“When it comes to Washington, we’re just small potatoes to them,” says Schwartz. “It’s been a 15-year project to try and get a more fair formula for PILT funding, but it’s not something that’s going to be an immediate change or remedy.”
Another thing contributing to the dire financial situation is the declining population. Growth and development could increase the budget, and Schwartz says they’re just not seeing that in Clark County.
“Unfortunately, we’re really stuck with the money that we have and the money we get from the state and the rules that we’re supposed to stay within. Our hands are tied. It’s really hard.”
EastIdahoNews.com comment boards are a place for open, honest, and civil communication between readers regarding the news of the day and issues facing our communities. We encourage commenters to stay on topic, use positive and constructive language, and be empathetic to the feelings of other commenters. THINK BEFORE YOU POST. Click here for more details on our commenting rules.