There was a bit of a surprise at the year’s first meeting of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning when long-time County Recorder, Marilyn Dopheide, announced her resignation effective the 31st of this month. She says this was not an easy decision for her to make.
She says she has been considering this for a time, but did not want to put an undue burden on her staff because November and December are extremely busy months for the office. Dopheide requested that the supervisors appoint the acting Deputy Recorder, Kathy Schwaller, who has been with the office for more than 10 years. Dopheide says this would be a natural transition for filling the position until it comes up for election in November of this year.
A couple of Carroll County residents were in attendance and both brought questions to the supervisors. Virginia Hagemann asked about the possibility of phasing out the Recorders Office altogether and turning those duties over to another department. Dopheide says she has heard first-hand how that went for other counties.
Ken Snyder was also at the meeting and made a request of the supervisors that a special election be held as there was another candidate interested in the position. Ashten Wittrock, who is the current Real Estate deputy in the Carroll County Auditor’s Office, says she is throwing her hat in the ring for the seat.
Wittrock, who has been with the Auditor’s Office since 2014, previously worked for the Carroll County Attorney and the American Cancer Society as well as conducting counseling in Carroll and Jefferson. She says she has been considering running for the position for quite some time and she has really enjoyed her time working for the County and for the people in the county. Wittrock adds that she is looking forward to being able to do that in this new capacity well into the future. And as Dopheide contemplates her future, leaving a career that has been much more than just a job for the past 23 years, she says she has been proud to be of service in so many different ways to the people of Carroll County.
The supervisors accepted the resignation with regrets, and will revisit the proposal of a special election in an upcoming meeting.
