Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel And Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Leah Thomas appointed clerk as county honors Melissa Buckley and longtime IT staffer
Summary
The board appointed Leah Thomas as clerk of the board following a recommendation from retiring clerk Melissa Buckley; the meeting included tributes to both Buckley (17 years as clerk) and Jeff (25 years in county IT).
The Navajo County Board of Supervisors approved the appointment of Leah Thomas as clerk of the board and used part of its public meeting to honor two long-serving county employees.
Melissa Buckley announced her retirement after 17 years as clerk and recommended Leah Thomas, her current deputy clerk, as successor. "After 17 years of being your clerk, I am going to retire. I want to strongly recommend Leah Thomas, our current deputy clerk of the board as my successor," Melissa said. Leah briefly addressed the board and thanked Melissa for mentoring her.
Board members spoke at length on Melissa’s record; the chair read a tribute noting Melissa’s county service beginning in 1994 and praised her professionalism and institutional knowledge. The board then entertained a motion to appoint Leah Thomas; multiple members seconded the motion and the appointment carried by voice vote.
The meeting also included a separate recognition of Jeff, an information‑technology staffer with 25 years of county service. Speakers described Jeff as a long‑time keeper of institutional knowledge in IT; Jeff said the job had been "an exciting place" to work and thanked leadership and colleagues.
Why it matters: The appointment assures continuity in the clerk’s office and the retirements mark personnel transitions in county administration. Supervisors said they will host a small reception following the meeting and presented tokens of appreciation on the record.
What’s next: Leah Thomas will assume clerk duties as arranged with county administration; the board held a brief reception in the Blue Mesa Conference Room after the meeting.
