Gilliam County appoints Kelly Smith interim treasurer, shifts tax-collection duties and reassigns bank authorities

Gilliam County Court on June 3, 2026 appointed Kelly Smith, the county's deputy tax collector, as interim Gilliam County Treasurer effective June 11, 2026 and took a package of administrative steps to ensure continuity of county finance operations amid the resignation of Treasurer Nathan Hammer.

Smith addressed the court before the vote, describing her experience as deputy treasurer and deputy tax collector and asking to continue some assessor-office duties during the transition. She asked for temporary compensation during the handoff and suggested the county appoint her tax collector to keep continuity in tax collection.

The court approved three linked motions: to appoint Kelly Smith as interim treasurer effective June 11, 2026 (term through Dec. 31, 2026); to set her temporary compensation at Step E on the elected-official salary schedule effective June 11, 2026 until 60 days after the county assessor hires a new appraiser; and to adopt a follow-on motion directing that the treasurer's salary will revert to a lower step (step to be the court's determination) 60 days after that appraiser hire. All motions were moved, seconded and carried unanimously.

To centralize operations and reduce disruption, the court also voted to transfer all tax-collection functions from the Assessor's Office to the Treasurer's Office effective June 11, 2026 and to appoint Smith as the county's tax collector. Commissioners discussed the need for coverage in the assessor's office during tax season and Smith said she would continue to assist the assessor while assuming treasurer duties.

The court then read and approved a detailed motion to reassign bank-administration authority on multiple county accounts. The motion removed former treasurer Nathan Hammer as a check signer and cash-management administrator and added appointed interim treasurer Kelly Smith in his place on numerous Bank of Eastern Oregon accounts and other county accounts. The motion listed each affected account and the replacement signers; the court voted to approve the changes to ensure the banks accept the new authorized signers and administrators.

All measures passed by unanimous voice vote. Court members emphasized documenting the temporary compensation change and the reversion step explicitly in the minutes so the transition is clear when the 60-day period elapses.

What happens next: Smith will assume treasurer and tax-collection responsibilities June 11 and will be the county's authorized bank signer and cash-management administrator on the enumerated accounts after staff completes the bank-required forms. The temporary compensation at Step E will end 60 days after the assessor hires a new appraiser, at which point the court directed Smith's permanent step be set according to the earlier motion on reversion.