Downey steps down from County Commission

A surprise resignation from County Commissioner Ron Downey this week will mean two out of three commissioners will be new to the job in 2015, with the most senior commissioner only in the position for two years.

Downey submitted his letter of resignation as county commissioner of Troy on June 4, the morning after the primary elections wrapped up with the axing of Commission Chairman Tony Berget, in favor of either Mark Peck or Russ Bache.

Downey’s resignation is effective August 1.

In his letter, Downey states that he is leaving the position for personal reasons that would not allow him to continue to fulfil his duties to the fullest extent needed.

‘’It has been a great privilege to work with you, the county commissioners, and all our great employees these past 3 ½ years and [I] will miss these working relationships deeply,’’ he says in the letter to Lincoln County Clerk and Recorder Tammy Lauer. ‘’I have high regard for the great public service you all provide and maintain.’’

When contacted, Downey did not want to disclose the reasons for his resignation other than to re-emphasize they were personal.

‘’I talked it over with my family a few months ago... I’m at a time in my life when I can’t do my job like I want to and I don’t want to hold the county back.’’

Following the resignation,  Berget said Downey would be sorely missed and noted in a press release that Downey brought ‘’a real commonsense approach to his county commissioner position.’’

Eureka commissioner Mike Cole, who will now be the most senior commissioner, said Downey was a pleasure to work with and that he represented Troy and the entire county well.

Berget said he would be stepping up during the transition process in whatever way was needed, but he would not be taking over Downey’s position when his own term finishes in January 2015. Legally, the Troy commissioner position must be filled by a Troy resident, he said.

The commissioners would be reviewing the process for replacing Downey and would be looking to the county attorney for guidance on this, he said.

Advertisements for the position would be placed in the upcoming weeks, applications would be vetted and it was expected the top three candidates would then be voted on by the commissioners.

Speaking of the end of his own time in office, as well as Downey’s, Berget said that Lincoln County was seeing ‘’a changing of the guard across the board.’’

‘’It’s not a bad thing as I look at it – they can always turn to us old guys," he said. "Ron [Downey] will be coming to more meetings and will be there to coach the newcomer.’’