Steve Walsh
Douglas County Public Administrator Steve Walsh resigned on Thursday, county commissioners were told.
“While it is a difficult decision, it has become evident through my discussions with the county manager, phone conversations with one of the commissioners and the district attorney that this is the most appropriate course of action,” Walsh said in a letter.
Elected in 2018, Walsh was an estate liquidator and professional executor, according to a statement published in the May 25, 2018, edition of The Record-Courier.
He was unopposed in 2022.
County Manager Jenifer Davidson said her office had received two complaints about Walsh.
“The county manager’s office has received complaints that certain estates have not been timely administered, and that the public administrator is not communicating with the heirs of deceased persons whose estates are being administered,” according to Davidson.
Davidson told commissioners she’s attempted to contact Walsh about his quarterly report, which was late, and about the complaints.
Michelle Damante said her father Robert Peart died Aug. 25, 2023.
She said the family had been attempting to get in touch with Walsh about his estate that included a car.
In May, Peart’s brother received a call from a lot about a car stored on their property who said they didn’t know whose it was.
Peart had purchased the car Feb. 20, 2022, and Walsh told the family he would move the car until it could be returned to the seller.
In the meantime, Damante said the car payments continued to be made, perhaps automatically from her father’s bank account.
Damante’s sister contacted attorney Justin Clouser and asked about the status of the case on Nov. 14, and Clouser told her he hadn’t heard about the case, and nothing was filed.
The Peart complaint was one of two received by the county about Walsh’s office, according to Davidson.
The public administrator is an elected office and is appointed by the courts to administer estates when a personal representative is unavailable or unwilling to serve as the administrator of an estate.
County commissioners may appoint someone to the position, or there might be other options, Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Ritchie said on Thursday.
“There is a period of transition here where we don’t have answers,” he said. “We’re aware that the public administrator has control of certain assets, and we will coordinate getting those assets handed over to the county.”
In his letter, Walsh said he would assist in the transition and share all information concerning the cases.
