Larimer County Clerk and Recorder Angela Myers announces retirement after decade in office

Larimer County Clerk and Recorder Angela Myers will retire next month after nearly a decade in office.

Myers' last day will be May 31, according to a news release. Myers had just been reelected to her third and final four-year term in office due to term limits last November.

"My husband and I want to have one last adventure," Myers told the Coloradoan about her decision to retire, adding that she is in good health. "... You just never know what the next chapter of life will bring."

Myers first took office after being appointed in 2013, and prior to that she had spent a decade working in the clerk's office. In November, Myers, the Republican candidate, defeated Democrat Toni Baker with 57% of the vote.

Myers said she was prepared to serve one more term in office, and "at the time it seemed like the right thing" for her and her husband, but "our plans changed." Myers' husband, Gary Myers, retired in 2020.

"We are looking forward to spending more time together," Myers said.

The county praised Myers in a news release announcing her retirement for "her commitment to fair, secure elections and innovative leadership."

"During her tenure, Myers has been instrumental in modernizing and streamlining Clerk and Recorder operations, ensuring that all community members received efficient and effective services," the county news release stated.

The county called Myers' retirement "the end of an era in the Clerk and Recorder's office."

Leaving at the end of May is the right time, Myers said. Ballot envelopes for the next election are printed in July and would have Myers' name on them if she were still in office, so it was important to her that she leave before then to not cause any confusion for voters, she said.

"I have loved this job," Myers said. "This has been an opportunity of a lifetime."

The Larimer County commissioners will be tasked with filling the vacancy until the 2024 general election, when voters will elect the person to serve the remaining two years of the term, in accordance with state law.

The commissioners are set to consider appointing Tina Harris, the current chief deputy and recording manager in the office, during their weekly meeting Tuesday morning.

"We have the perfect follow-up in Tina Harris," Myers said. "... You just cannot conceive of a better transition than the one we have today, and certainly that makes the decision easier."

Harris has been with the office for 23 years "and has extensive knowledge of all aspects of the office," according to a news release. Harris started as a vehicle licensing technician and in rising through the ranks demonstrated "her commitment to the office's nonpartisan operations and her clear understanding of the work required to run fair and secure elections," according to the release.

The commissioners all shared quotes in support of Harris in the county's news release.

Commissioner and board chair Jody Shadduck-McNally called Harris "the right choice to continue Angela Myers' legacy of excellence in the Clerk and Recorder's office."

Harris "has been an integral part of the success of the Clerk and Recorder's office over the years," Commissioner Kristin Stephens said in the news release.

"Employees in the Clerk's office call her 'a visionary' and say she 'provides levity' to a challenging job," Commissioner John Kefalas said in the release. "I'm confident that Tina will continue to provide excellent leadership for the office and the community members of Larimer County."

If Harris is appointed, she will take office June 1.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated how many times Angela Myers was elected as Larimer County Clerk and Recorder. Myers has won three elections.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Longtime Larimer County Clerk and Recorder to retire in May