Percy

Grant County Clerk Brenda Percy, who has held the post since her first election win in 2010 after having served as deputy county clerk since 1998, has announced her plans to retire at the end of this year.

Percy, currently serving the first year of her fourth four-year term after having been reelected in 2022, will step down as of Dec. 31.

Her successor is expected to be appointed by the Grant County Court, which is currently accepting letters of interest. The appointment would run until the end of 2024, but an election will be held in November of next year for voters to determine who will serve a four-year term beginning in January of 2025, Percy said.

“If they win the election, then they’ll get the position for four more years and then have to run again,” she said. “But there’s always that chance the person that they appoint won’t win the election if somebody runs against them.”

The Grant County Clerk’s Office oversees elections, the recording of legal documents, marriage licenses, probate records, bookkeeping and passports, Percy said. The office is responsible for processing all Board of Property Tax Appeal petitions, commissioners’ journal documents, orders for Grant County, plats and real property transactions.

Percy said the role is “a very hands-on job” and her successor should be ready to adapt to a new voter registration computer program that’s expected to be implemented within the next couple of years.

“There’s a lot of change happening, so they have to be willing to be active and be willing to learn new things,” Percy said.

“The clerks association is a very helpful association,” she added. “They’re all very close-knit and honest and willing to take care of each other.”

Percy said she’s most proud of the way the office has been run throughout her tenure.

“It has been a smooth process,” she said.

She runs the office with deputy clerk Joleen Moulton, who has been with the department since her hiring a little over a year ago.

“I’ve been here for 25 years,” Percy said. “My husband’s been retired for over two years now, so I was going to retire last year at the end of the year. But Joleen’s a new employee, so I told her I would be here for another year.”

Moulton said she’s decided not to run for the position of county clerk and wants to remain in the deputy clerk position.

“I’ve only been here a little over a year, and (Percy has) been great to work with,” Moulton said. “She’s brought me a long ways.”

Percy has lived in Canyon City since moving there in 1995.

“We’re not moving away,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of travel plans. But I’ve enjoyed my job over many years. … I’m going to miss working with the people. We’re a very high-profile, customer service office, so I’m going to miss that a lot. It’s time for me to retire.”

Percy’s current salary is $71,172 a year.