Bernice Albers won the right to be Chase County Treasurer following the Republican primary earlier this year. Circumstances have means she has to start her duties earlier than normal.
Judge Doug Jones swore Albers into her role Friday.
The ceremony follows Albers’ win over Dow Wilson in the primary, but it also follows the start of a forensic audit into the past four years of financial operations in the department under Wilson’s tenure. County Attorney Brian Henderson says between $50,000 and $100,000 in unspecified financial issues, none of which have any legal standing, were uncovered during the latest county budget audit process. Henderson and Chase County Sheriff Jacob Welsh have said there will be no public update on this investigation until it is finished.
After Wilson resigned last month, the Chase County Republican Committee unanimously nominated Albers to Kansas Governor Laura Kelly so Albers could start her role as soon as possible instead of waiting until after the general election next month and the start of the fiscal year in January.
