The Statutory Committee to fill a County Elected Official vacancy Thursday (January 26th) appointed former Deputy Treasurer Judith L. “Judie” Ratering as St. Joseph County Treasurer.
Judie Ratering
The action was reported in a news release late Thursday afternoon from County Clerk Pattie Bender, who serves on the three-member committee. Other committee members are Probate Judge Thomas Shumaker and Prosecuting Attorney John McDonough.
According to the news release, “The proposed date for Mrs. Ratering to begin her duties is February 6, 2012.”
The current County Treasurer, Phyllis Bainbridge, has resigned, effective January 31st, due to illness.
Barry Miller of Centreville had been selected by the committee to fill the impending vacancy, but decided not to accept the appointment. Later, the committee announced that it had met and determined that an appointment would not be made at that time, but indicated that the Chief Deputy, Vicky Anders, would assume the duties of the County Treasurer effective February 1st “until such time as an appointment is made or someone is elected to the position.” However, Anders subsequently said that she was not interested in taking on the treasurer’s responsibilities.
The position will be up for election to a four-year term in November.
During an interview with the River Country Journal, Ratering said, “I feel it’s an honor I was chosen for this.” She noted her prior employment as Deputy Treasurer for “almost 12 years” and said, “It’ll be good getting back to the county.” (Judie Ratering audio clip – :14)
Regarding her earlier work in the treasurer’s office, Ratering said, “I worked under the new law of P.A. 123 of 1999 and the good thing about that – that law has not changed so I know the whole process of the law from beginning to foreclosure so I do have my experience there.”
Ratering said she left her employment with the county in 2001 and worked for about three years as a regional manager for Title Check, a firm that “does a lot of the foreclosure process for counties in Michigan.” Putting those two together, “It’s about 15 years of delinquent tax experience so that part I know and now I just really need to concentrate on the duties of the County Treasurer.” (Judie Ratering audio clip – :27)
Ratering’s current employment is with Southern Michigan Bank and Trust where she has been a mortgage lender for almost seven years.
Ratering was among five persons who were interviewed by the Statutory Committee last year, candidates drawn from a field of eight applicants. She said, “I thought I was a strong candidate going into it with my experience and my qualifications. I just really wanted the job. I thought I could do the job. I thought it would be a good way to end my career at the county and that’s why I applied.”
As noted earlier, the position will be filled for a four-year term in the November 6th election and Ratering said, “I am planning on running.” Looking toward that candidacy, she said, “My experience from when I left the office and what I’ve learned in mortgages, I can bring back all that experience which equals about 22 years experience back into the County Treasurer’s office.”
Ratering, 52, and her husband, Charlie – her “high school sweetheart” – live on West End Road in Park Township, on the north side of Fisher Lake. They have three grown children and four grandchildren. She said, “I was born and raised my whole life in St. Joseph County.”
Ratering will receive an annual salary of $58,568, the same annual salary paid to Bainbridge.
To hear the interview with Judie Ratering – conducted by Bruce Snook of the River Country Journal – click on the following link: Judie Ratering interview (2:38 – 2.41 MB).
For an additional perspective on this topic from Jef Rietsma and the Kalamazoo Gazette, click on the link that follows: Judie Ratering named St. Joseph County treasurer
Editor’s Note: This post was expanded at 7:10 p.m. 1-26-12 to add material from the interview with Judie Ratering. The link to Jef Rietsma’s story in the Kalamazoo Gazette was added at 10:13 p.m. 1-26-12. Information about the salary that Ratering will receive was added at 9:01 a.m. 1-27-12. Information on the swearing in of Ratering on February 3rd was added to the post at 4:54 p.m. 1-27-12. The photo of Judie Ratering was added at 3:28 p.m. 1-29-12.
Third time is a charm. Kudos to SJC for getting this done and good luck to Ms. Ratering. What I find disappointing is that this press release lacks details (not blaming RCJ one bit!). Shouldn’t this have indicated her starting salary, her background in finance/taxes and even something personal about her? What about the process itself? How did this appointment happen. Why did it take so long? C’mon we should know how to send out press releases by this point, right?
Well done….sounds like they found someone very qualified, very familiar with the laws, the people, and the county….and someone who actually wants the job!!!! I do agree with Disappointed in that the process how this happened seems a bit of an unknown….but then again, that’s apparently not all that uncommon here in SJC where only some apparently are entitled to the whole plan and the whole process. I mean was there a chimney and colored smoke involved?
Aside from that….I’m glad that this is behind us.
Kudos to the committee, Judy Ratering is a class act.
First of all Congrats to Ms. Ratering….I guess I should reserve my congrats to a couple weeks from now to make sure the County doesn’t change the salary again, but for now I’ll assume all is A-OK (just a word of advice to Judie…..check the first paystub to make sure it is what its supposed to be–just sayin).
I’m glad this is (hopefully) behind us, but here’s what ticks me off. We had candidates like this in the queue and instead the County got cute and tried to force a deputy treasurer to take the job when she clearly said no thanks. So it seems to me that’s twice they got cute over money on this spot. I mean put that little factoid with how they got cute with the salary drop on the first candidate that initally accepted the position. I’m willing to bet we paid more in manhours spent trying to scramble not once, not twice, but 3 times (so far) to get it right all in the name of $3,000 dollars. I think they got darn lucky Ms. Ratering was still interested in the spot.
Now that they got this filled maybe they need to rethink filling a few spots for folks that put us in this predicament to start with.
I will not forget this folly and I hope the voting public doesn’t forget how this commission operates. This group needs to go,they are corrupt starting with Juday Wing.
Congrat’s Judy !!! You’ll do an outstanding job !!
Judy I’m so proud of you. You’ll do well, congrats!
Congratulations Judie, I am so proud of you and your dedication to the County. I enjoyed working with you and it’s good to see you going back.