Lisa Parrett was named the fourth clerk-treasurer the town of Sidney has had this year Tuesday.
Kosciusko County Republican Central Committee Chairman Mike Ragan appointed Parrett to fill the position left vacant by the May 9 resignation of Lydia Neal. Parrett’s term ends Dec. 31, 2023.
Former Clerk-treasurer Lana Wolfe resigned, along with town council member Republican Ricky Bradley, as there were some questions about how they came to office, and Democrat Kenneth Koontz, who resigned due to his failing health. All three resigned in January. The only Sidney official who did not resign at that time was Democrat Jack Wolfe.
Bradley was replaced by Republican Sharon Rancourt and Lana Wolfe was replaced by Republican Etta Hurd, appointed by Ragan on Jan. 23. Koontz was replaced by Democrat Gavin Parrett, appointed by Kosciusko County Democrat Party Chairman Brian Smith.
Neal was appointed to the clerk-treasurer position Feb. 25 after Hurd resigned Feb. 10 due to health concerns of a family member. Jack Wolfe resigned effective March 15. Smith said Jack Wolfe did not give a reason for his resignation. A special meeting was in the process of being scheduled to remove Jack from the council after his resignation was asked for. Ragan was not given a reason for Neal’s May 9 resignation.
“We congratulate Lisa Parrett on this appointment and wish her well in her new position and are confident that she will serve the citizens of Sidney with a servant’s heart, courtesy and professionalism,” Ragan said Tuesday.
Lisa, 55, has lived in Sidney for about eight years.
The Sidney Town Council voted to have Lisa as the deputy clerk-treasurer during its April 14 meeting. When Neal resigned, Lisa said she might as well try to become clerk. Lisa said she doesn’t know if she’ll appoint a deputy clerk at this point and will have to talk to the town council about that.
Lisa has an MBA and a Masters of Science in Management from Indiana Tech. She is retired after 24 years from Zimmer Biomet, where she was an environmental law clerk. She said she retired in 2013.
“I worked in the environmental offices with FDA regulations and trending things like that,” Lisa said.
She has an undergraduate degree in computer science and she said that could help her, as it’s something you know or you try to learn on the fly, which is “kind of tough.”
There’s several things that came to mind Lisa hopes to bring to the position.
“Hopefully, longevity,” she said, jokingly. On a serious note, she hopes to bring organization to the role, as well as the ability of what the clerk-treasurer is supposed to do.
Gavin Parrett is Lisa’s son. She addressed that topic.
She said in her role, Lisa responds what the town council does, not the other way around.
“So I don’t really see myself as conflicting with him because they’re on the board, they make the decisions. I do not. I have no decisions to make. So I don’t see it as a conflict at all,” Lisa said.
