1 week Ago By gneese
Greene County’s elections director of more than a year has stepped down from full-time work and will assist newly hired elections staff on a part-time basis as they prepare for the upcoming primary election. Joe Lemley, who took the position last January after 25 years as a teacher and administrator, left the election role to take on other employment, said county Clerk Jeff Marshall. “He offered to work as a casual part-time employee after hours when he’s not at his other job to assist in making sure the election is appropriate, and that the new staff is trained and has his experience at their need,” he said.
A message left with Lemley seeking comment Tuesday morning was not returned. Lemley’s resignation occurred a week or two ago, Marshall said, after which the county advertised the position. They hired Kierra Cannon, a county employee who started work Wednesday.
She will make $51,269.40 a year, Marshall said. “She was an internal candidate from human services and a very bright individual wanting to increase and climb the ladder within the company, and we were happy to keep her, as we think she’s going to be a great asset,” said Commissioner Jared Edgreen.
With the number of people holding the elections director title since 2020 now up to seven, the county has systems in place to be able to lean on other counties, the board and administrative staff for information, Marshall said. “This will go on without a hitch,” he said. The position has been a hot button in recent years, with issues such as problems with mail-in and absentee ballots sent to voters ahead of 2023’s general election, which led to a lawsuit from an unsuccessful Waynesburg mayoral candidate.
Marshall said the reasons for recent directors leaving have varied with each person, whether looking for other employment, or disenchanted with “the aggressiveness surrounding the elections.” “I mean, there hasn’t been just one item. It’s not like you go and say ‘It’s pay’ or it’s anything like that,” he said.
“Everyone has been a different situation.” Marshall hopes Cannon will wind up making a long-term commitment to the job. “The county is a good place to work,” he said.
“We do have flexibility and some other stuff that other businesses don’t have, and hopefully she sees that and is willing to do her civic duty.” Unless people have done the job before, they have no way of predicting what it will be like, Edgreen said. “It’s very public-facing,” he said.
“There’s been a point of contention on both sides for years surrounding elections. We want to make sure on the commissioners level that we ensure there’s trustworthiness, that there’s faith in our elections, that we continue to have transparency through this. And we believe Kierra is the one to do it.
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