Clerk-treasurer prepares for life in the slow lane

Citizen Griffin.

After 35 years in county government " 21 of those as Douglas County Clerk-Treasurer " Barbara Griffin is preparing for a new role that begins at 3 p.m. Sunday.

That is the designated hour to turn her duties over to Ted Thran.

Griffin, 60, resigned midway through her sixth term rather than lose state-funded health care benefits that would cost hundreds of dollars a month.

"Right now, I am just doing the best I can to get everything completed for Ted," she said, taking time out for an interview in the waning days of her tenure.

Griffin picked the end of August so she could see the primary through to completion, and begin the transition with the Nov. 4 general election looming.

"I think this is the longest 'part-time' job on record," she said.

Griffin, raised in Smith Valley, got re-introduced to Douglas County in 1972. She was working for NCR in Reno and she installed a data processing property tax billing system for then-Douglas County Treasurer Ernie Thran.

Griffin was a young mother looking for a part-time job, and went to work in the treasurer's office for Thran and Lois Brooks who was chief deputy clerk-treasurer.

"She raised a lot of us," Griffin said of Brooks, who still works part-time for the department.

In her 21 years as clerk-treasurer, Griffin has racked up some impressive numbers. Since she took office in 1987, Griffin has attended 720 county commission meetings, worked with 30 county commissioners and nine county managers.

She watched the district court expand from a part-time office to two busy full-time departments.

Griffin oversees a staff of nearly 30. Thinking about her employees is the biggest aspect of her departure from office that brings tears to her eyes.

"I can't talk about my staff without getting emotional," she said. "They're awesome, they're family. I hired all of them and can't say enough good things. They are loyal to the county, loyal to their jobs. They truly care about each other and what they do."

Thran, 41, who will serve out the remaining two years of Griffin's term, has worked in the clerk's office for 10 years. In the finest "Cousin Valley" tradition, he is a cousin of former Clerk-Treasurer Ernie Thran who first hired Griffin.

Griffin said she was leaving the department in capable hands.

"We're two months away from one of the biggest elections ever," she said. "We need somebody at the helm who understands what we've done. They will be successful.

"There's lots of talent in this office," she said. "We've had a wonderful journey and lots of fun. So many times, I have sat back and smiled at their enthusiasm."

Griffin said she intends to use her retirement to spend more time with her 90-year-old mother, Martha Griffin, who still lives in Smith Valley.

"She is my role model," Griffin said. "She is just an inspiration."

She'll be in Smith Valley next week with her mother indulging their passion for quilting.

"My mother has macular degeneration, but she's got a huge magnifying glass that helps her see what she's doing. She just never gives up. She says life doesn't give you a bed of roses, and you deal with what you're handed. She's very excited I will be able to spend more time with her."

Griffin's grandchildren Gio, 8, and Peyten, 1-1/2, also are in Smith Valley with her daughter Nicole O'Banion and son-in-law.

"I am just really going to enjoy the next several months, quilting, playing piano, walking, kayaking," she said.

Griffin said she's had a couple of inquiries about post-county employment, but she's keeping her options open.

"My greatest passion in my job is the election process," she said. "It's so important, never dull, never constant and always changing. Since I've been here, we've had 50 elections and they were all successful. Not one has ever been challenged."

When Griffin envisions the future of Douglas County, she doesn't see much change in the next five years.

"These are really tough times for the economy. I truly, truly hope the community comes together again. We've worked together before and look at projects together. I think it's really unfortunate we're so fractured and I hope we can come back together."

Griffin said she was pleased with the work of interim County Manager T. Michael Brown who took over from Dan Holler when he resigned in March.

"They have a very talented, energetic county manager right now in Michael Brown and I hope they will appoint him and listen to his words of wisdom," she said.

Despite the economy and the often-divided community, Griffin said Douglas County continues to experience exciting times.

"I don't think anybody wants to see the Valley deteriorate and become gobbled up, but we can't become stagnant. We can't become a retirement community," she said.

Griffin said county commissioners deserve the community's respect.

"They really strive to work together and respect each other as individuals," she said. "They all ran because they care about the community."

Griffin was such a popular candidate, nobody ran against her after her first election in 1986.

Would she consider running for office again?

"Probably not," she said, "but never say never."

Griffin plans to be out of town for the general election, but she's already requested an absentee ballot.

"I just knew I couldn't be here," she said. "I'd be running up and down outside, stalking the place."

Looking around her memory-filled office in the Minden Inn, she pondered how quickly time passed.

"When I got hired, I remember asking Lois (Brooks) how long she'd worked there and at the time it was eight years. I said, 'Eight years? You've been here eight years? I can't imagine staying in one place that long,'" Griffin laughed.

"I don't know where the years have gone," she said. "I absolutely, absolutely loved every minute of it. It's been a tremendous honor and I have never taken it for granted, I loved it every day."