Shannon Patterson, who will become the new Allen County Clerk when Sherrie Riebel retires on Friday, had no hesitation when asked what has best prepared her for the role.
“I had Sherrie for a teacher,” Patterson said.
“She has taught me so much and she has been an amazing clerk, so I’m following in great footsteps and I hope I live up to it.”
Riebel chimed in to say it’s all about cross-training. Her philosophy over the years is to teach all of the staff how to handle just about any job required under the clerk’s umbrella. In fact, she has a list of nearly 200 duties that fall under state statutes for the office.
“They always say if you get good people behind you, you can do great things. If you get great people behind you, it’s even better,” Riebel said. “You’re only as successful as the people who help you. No way you can do it on your own.”
Riebel joined the clerk’s office on June 22, 1993. When the clerk at the time chose not to run again, Riebel decided to file for the position. She relied on her faith, telling herself that if God wanted to open that door for her, she’d walk through it.
She won the election and was sworn into office in January 1997. She ran for re-election every four years and never faced another challenger.
Now, after 25 years, she’s retiring. A reception will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday in the courthouse basement.
Because Riebel’s term won’t end until 2025, Patterson will fill the remainder. She was recommended by the local Republican party and her nomination approved by Gov. Laura Kelly. She has worked for the clerk’s office since 2010.
RIEBEL spent most of her childhood in Chanute, where she graduated high school before attending college at Emporia. That’s where she met her husband, Joseph, and moved to his hometown of Iola. They later had three children.
She worked at McGinty Whitworth for 13 years.
“I loved it, but I was always thinking I might want to do something different,” she said.
Someone suggested she apply for an opening in the clerk’s office, and God led her to the position.
“I’ve worked with a lot of great people. I got a good start, and it makes a big difference when everyone gets along,” she said.
Of course, she had a lot to learn. Those first few years as clerk, Riebel admits she struggled to figure out the tax levies for the Southeast Kansas Library System. The first year, she failed to include Allen County so the library got too much money; the next year, they got a lot less.
It did, however, teach her a valuable lesson: “If you mess up, you might as well own it, learn from it, and don’t do it again.”
Changes in technology have made the biggest impact on her job over the years.
“When I first started, we had a computer in the conference room that was so big, it took up a third of the room. Then we went down to a 400, which was a little smaller. Now, we’re down to servers, which hardly take any space at all,” she recalled.
At first, each of the 105 counties across the state used their own software before converting to a statewide system. That’s been a big help, as it cross-checks voter registrations to see if someone is registered in another county.
Allen County was one of three counties to take part in a pilot program to help design a new software system for tax administration, now known as the TAS Database. It keeps track of years of data, making it easier for staff to review invoices and other information.
“Things keep evolving,” Riebel said.
“When I first came to this office, they hadn’t had computers for very long.”
It was quite an adjustment for her, as someone who had spent more than a decade working in the fast-paced retail sector. She found herself sitting in front of a computer, hypnotized by its blinking green cursor.
“It was terrible. I kept wanting to fall asleep,” she recalled, laughing. “Now we have cell phones, so it’s quite different.”
Since many county leaders serve in elected positions, that opens opportunities for change every four years.
She’s seen several commissioners come and go.
“We’ve seen a lot of changes. We’ve seen the new jail built. New ambulance stations. We’ve had some outstanding commissioners and we’ve been well-respected across the state, not just in Allen County,” she said.
She’s seen changes in other county offices, as well as county clerks across the state. Clerks from across the state often attended regional and state conferences together. That has changed in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she’s had fewer opportunities to network with her peers across the state. Many, like her, are retiring.
“It used to be you would know who the other commissioners were, the other treasurers and so on. Now I’m doing good just to get to know the clerks. You just don’t see people in person anymore, and it’s hard to pick up on little details about someone’s personality when you’re online.”
Riebel described herself as “pretty shy” when she first started working for the county. Back in those days, the county clerk’s office was “the quiet one.” Citizens who are upset about their taxes or an increase in property values might visit the treasurer’s office or the appraiser’s office to voice their complaints, but rarely did they come to the clerk’s office.
That changed with the 2020 presidential election. Suddenly, citizens were questioning everything from the way ballots were cast and counted to the way the machines are programmed. Many call for a return to paper ballots, but Riebel said paper ballots create more opportunities for errors than their electronic counterparts.
It’s made the job much more stressful, she said, especially for her staff and also for volunteers who help with the elections.
“We have a jillion open records requests and surveys because people don’t trust elections. Many of them don’t even know what they’re asking for,” Riebel said. “We work very hard to have a fair, transparent and honest election.”
The most recent election, a primary contest in August, included a controversial abortion amendment which drew a surprising amount of people to the polls.
“I underestimated how many people would show up for the primary. I knew it could be a bigger election because of the amendment question, but I hadn’t anticipated how much bigger,” she said. “I don’t think any of our poll workers got breaks. We’ve had some amazing volunteers over the years, and when they decide it’s time to stop, someone always steps up.”
The stress of the recent elections likely contributed to her decision to retire, although she also felt she had reached a point where retirement made the most financial sense.
“I prayed about it. I’m a firm believer in putting God first, then your family, then your church, your friends and the public. I feel like God has it covered anytime I have struggled.”
After retirement, she plans to spend more time with friends and family.
PATTERSON, like Riebel, came to the clerk’s office from a very different background.
She previously worked as a nail technician at Town Square Tannery. But after her daughter was born in 2010, she wanted to find a job with more stability.
Her husband, Andrew, works for BNSF Railway. Daughter Blayke is now 12, and son Bentlee is 6.
Patterson discovered she was a good fit for the clerk’s office.
“It was a big adjustment but I loved learning all the different aspects of what is done in this office. It’s a lot,” she said.
“I really enjoy the elections. I enjoy the tax side of it too, the numbers, but just the process of the elections, I find it fascinating how it all comes together. I didn’t realize what all has to take place for an election to happen, and everything that follows afterward.”
Outside of her job, Patterson spends her time traveling to activities for her children. Her daughter is active in dance competitions, and her son is “exploring every sport available.”
Riebel and Patterson have been planning the transition for about two years, making sure Patterson had the training and certification she needed to be successful.
Patterson said she doesn’t plan to make many changes to the office after she takes over, particularly because so much of the job is dictated by statutes.
But as for the office philosophy, she plans to follow Riebel’s example: “Honesty is the best policy. We’re human and mistakes are going to happen, but if you make a mistake, own it.”
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