By David Slone
Times-Union
WARSAW — Etna Green Clerk-Treasurer Patti Cook has filed for the Republican caucus for Kosciusko County Auditor.
She will face Alyssa Schmucker in the caucus, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Kosciusko County Courthouse. Each candidate will have three minutes to speak to the caucus.
The deadline to file was 6 p.m. Monday.
Current County Auditor Rhonda Helser submitted her resignation last month, effective Aug. 31, citing personal reasons. Schmucker is the chief deputy in the auditor’s office and she filed to run July 25.
Cook said she decided to file for the auditor’s position because “I like challenges and I thought about having a bigger challenge.”
She’s served as Etna Green’s clerk-treasurer for six years, which is her first elected position. Before that, she managed the office in an auto repair business for 20 years.
Knowing a lot of the employees in the auditor’s office, Cook said she would feel comfortable taking the office over if she was chosen by the caucus.
“I’m a people person so I could work with all of them. I realize I would have a bigger staff, but I can do it,” she said.
Cook was a foster mom for almost 30 years, taking in almost 40 kids and adopting five of them. She also has two biological children of her own.
“So I’m very good at management,” Cook said.
Cook’s husband, Andy, died about a year ago.
If chosen by the caucus, she said her only regret would be leaving the Etna Green clerk-treasurer position. If the caucus doesn’t choose her, she said she’ll just keep serving as the town clerk-treasurer.
“I like the people, I like to manage the town along with the finances. I like to be able to talk to the town people to help them with their problem,” she said.
Last Wednesday, Etna Green Town Councilman Jason Hanes resigned from the board Wednesday, effective immediately. If Cook is elected auditor, she said she’s going to have to be at the Etna Green clerk’s office for a little bit to help bring the next clerk-treasurer up to speed. The utility clerk will help bring her replacement up to speed, too, she said as the utility clerk is knowledgeable and easy to work with.
Kosciusko County Republican Central Committee Chair Mike Ragan will appoint Hanes’ replacement at 3 p.m. Aug. 27.
Declarations of candidacy for the town council seat are available at the office of Kosciusko County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, and must be filed with Ragan no later than 3 p.m. Aug. 24. Ragan’s telephone number is 574-265-1430.
