Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Longtime county employee leaves next week
DAVENPORT-Lincoln County Treasurer Jody Howard's last day in office is Friday, Dec. 30. Howard, 62, only held the elected position for four years but has worked in the Treasurer's Office since 2000.
Howard was first employed by Lincoln County in the Auditor's Office as a 28-year-old in 1989.
"At the time, I was the youngest person working in the Courthouse," Howard said. "Nowadays, there's plenty more people younger than that."
Howard, a native of Wilbur and alumna of Eastern Washington University, worked as a commissioner's secretary and in accounts payable for then-Auditor Larry Lindblom. While with the Auditor's Office, she met her husband, Richard, who worked for Reardan Seed Company and would pay visits to the office for business matters.
She then transferred to the Treasurer's Office under Linda Fischer in 2000 and ran unopposed for election in 2018.
Howard decided not to run for re-election in 2022. Current deputy treasurer Emily Lybbert Hansen will take over the job after winning election over Brad Sweet and Pete Brickner this year.
"I considered it, but I always knew I wanted to retire younger than 65," Howard said. "It's a big time commitment. We really are working officials in these small counties."
Howard said she and Richard plan to spend retirement traveling around the United States
Howard reflected on having "seen it all" after 33 years at Lincoln County. She was celebrated along with outgoing clerk Peggy Semprimoznik and child support enforcement officer Debbie Keller at a retirement party Friday Dec. 16.
"I lived through the courthouse fire," Howard said. "I've been through the whole gamut of stuff at the Courthouse."
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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