Texas County Public Administrator-elect Connie Thompson is busy readying herself for what lies ahead when she takes over the position in January.
After a win in the Nov. 6 election, Thompson, a Republican, recently attended a training class for new public administrators in Missouri region 7 conducted by the state Public Administrators’ Association in Columbia. She was one of a dozen newcomers in the class.
“They told us all what to expect coming in,” Thompson said, “including agencies we’ll deal with, and statutes and laws that pertain to what we do. It was very informative — and it’s amazing how many acronyms the government uses. There are a lot of them to remember.”
Thompson has also sat in on several probate hearings in Texas County Associate Circuit Court, and spent many hours in Waynesville shadowing Pulaski County Public Administrator Loretta Rouse.
“I’ve been working in her office learning about settlements and other things that go on as far as placing clients in nursing homes or care facilities,” Thompson said. “And I’ve also done a lot of research on my own to prepare for January. I’ve been collecting lots of information and making a list of contacts in our own county of people who will work with the public administrator’s office.”
Rouse, who Thompson met on the campaign trail, has also offered to come south and help during her Texas County cohort’s settling-in period in early 2013.
“We just hit it off, and she’s been so wonderful,” Thompson said. “She said, ‘it’s a lot of work and you’re going to have a lot thrown at you right off the bat.’ She said she would be glad to help in any way possible, and that she would come down and help when I took office and help me get things going.”
A public administrator basically assists people with financial affairs who are unable to do so themselves and have nobody else available to provide help, such as placement in care facilities, paying bills and meeting other obligations.
“However many clients a public administrator has, there are that many accounts to manage or more,” Thompson said. “There’s a lot to learn; there are a lot of issues and a lot resources we have to utilize in order to help care for these people.”
Thompson said hopes to meet with and glean information from her predecessor Theresa Campbell (who decided not to seek another term due to health-related reasons) before the end of December.
“I’m anxious to get started,” Thompson said. “I wish I could go in the office right now and get things going and get organized and establish my way of doing things, because we all have our own way of doing things.
“I’m looking forward to this, and I really want to do a good job for the county. And I want people to know I’m thankful for their support and I’m going to try to show them they voted for the right person.”