Four framed photographs hang on the left wall in the Leavenworth County Clerk’s office. The black-and-white photos show a history of the clerk’s office. There are three men and one woman — Linda A. Scheer.
Scheer has served as county clerk since August 1990. In January, she will retire from 28 years of service in Leavenworth County government.
Scheer smiled when she was asked what her thoughts were as the county’s first female county clerk.
“I don’t know how to respond to that,” she said.
From 1973 to 1976, Scheer worked in the county attorney’s office. Her family then moved to Wichita, Kan., and Junction City, Kan., before moving to Leavenworth again in January 1980.
Scheer called a woman she knew in the county clerk’s office — there was a position available. At the office’s front counter, Scheer registered voters and maintained double bookkeeping between the treasurer’s and clerk’s offices.
Within two or three weeks, Scheer said she helped gather election board workers — with 37 county precincts, each precinct needed nine workers at that time. At 7 p.m., when the polls closed, smaller precincts became counting boards.
“Things have changed a lot,” Scheer said.
In about 1985, Scheer became deputy election officer. Five years later, in July 1990, the county clerk resigned to take another county position — Scheer said she was encouraged to run for the reappointment. The Republican party appointed Scheer to fill the vacancy.
After almost three decades with the county, Scheer said she can vividly remember the November 1984 election — the last precinct’s results came at about 6:30 a.m.
Following the election, the county clerk at the time, Larry Scheller, decided to look at other means for county ballots, Scheer said.
In April 1985, the county first used a central optical scanner on a trial basis.
In a two-pocket folder, Scheer pulled out newspaper clippings and photos that she has saved through the years.
She remembered when the county used to post election results on a chalkboard in the Leavenworth County Courthouse’s basement conference room.
In March 1992, Scheer filed by petition to run as county clerk.
She has run unopposed in both political parties since — only one person ran against her on the Republican ballot for appointment in 1990.
However, Scheer said she has noticed more men serving as county clerks since the mid 1990s.
“I guess my reaction when I decided to run was concern — I was concerned what the people would think of a female clerk,” Scheer said. “Apparently, they’ve accepted it.”
Before her career in county government, Scheer attended Fort Hays State University and studied bookkeeping and office machines — she remembered 12 different large office machines “that you would key in.”
Technology certainly has served as a significant change in Scheer’s time with county government.
“I remember when we went to these — it was a real treat,” Scheer said with a laugh as she tapped a standard receipt-tape calculator.
Once upon a time, the calculators cost between $400 and $500, Scheer said. Computer spreadsheet documents also help budgets “flow” to many pages — the clerk’s office used to key them in on typewriters, Scheer said.
“It has eliminated many errors, and it saves a lot of proofing and checking,” she said.
But even with technological advances, Scheer relies heavily on old-fashioned handwritten notes. Scheer and her colleagues often will look at each other and ask, “Well, what did we do last year?”
On yellow legal pads, Scheer makes a lot of notes to herself — she said she needs paper trails. Some notes are only referenced once or twice a year for purposes like state abstracts for taxes.
“I want those notes to be neat so I can read them and others can read them,” Scheer said. “I’ve just always been good at keeping trails.”
Scheer’s handwriting could almost be compared with calligraphy — the cursive letters resemble those that students often learn in elementary school. People have often remarked to Scheer that they “can actually read her signature,” she said.
Deputy County Clerk Janet Klasinski has worked with Scheer for 12 years, but the two women have known each other personally for a long time. Klasinski will run unopposed for county clerk in November’s General Election.
“I feel I’ve depended on her, and I hope to be as good a clerk as she is,” Klasinski said. “We’ve worked as a team.”
With organization as the No.-1 priority, a county clerk must be able to handle the diversity of tasks within the election and clerk’s office, Klasinski said.
Clerks also must get along well with others. Scheer has gained the respect of county commissioners throughout the years, Klasinski said.
“I hope that I’ve been able to pick up some of those traits because I think it’s all necessary,” Klasinski said. “I hope I can fill some mighty big shoes.”
The next county clerk will take office at noon on Jan. 12, 2009. Scheer pointed to a picture of two toddlers — a boy, Carter, and a girl, Bailee — when asked about her retirement plans.
“Those two people,” she said with a smile about her grandchildren.
Leavenworth, Kan. —
