Powder River Examiner -

In anticipation of the election on November 6th, The Examiner sent out interview questions to the local candidates. Though all of the local elections are un-opposed for the general election, we felt that an introduction would be newsworthy and informative for the readers. The local candidates on the ballot include: Lee Randall, County Commissioner, Allen Drane, Jr., Sheriff/Coroner, Pat Phillippi, Treasurer, Cynde Jo Gatlin, Clerk & Recorder, Cathy Landa, Justice of the Peace, Jeff Noble, County Attorney, Molly Lloyd, Superintendent of Schools, and Phoebe Amsden, Public Administrator. We printed three candidates last week. The responses have been printed with minimal editing. Amsden did not provide us with a photo.

I was born and raised in Powder River County, the daughter of Helen Rogge. I graduated from Powder River County District High School in 1988. After High School I attend 1 year of College in Billings (EMC); I started the second year of college in Billings (EMC) working three jobs, I ran short of funds transferring back to Miles City where I worked at Ben Franklins and lived with family. I married my husband Ted Amsden in 1992. During our 26 years of marriage we have raised four children, Tonya (Casper, WY); Zachary (St. Marys, GA), Dalton (Pensacola, FL) and our youngest Troy (attending PRCDHS). I’ve held different jobs over the years working at Larry’s IGA, Rocky Mountain Bank, IOIA, and my current position as Vice President at 1st Bank. I was first voted in as Public Administrator in 2010; I took the first term after winning the election as a “write-in”; at the time I had to ask what a “Public Administrator did.

The Public Administrator is an elected position in Powder River County government. Unlike other elected offices in Powder River County, the Public Administrator collects no salary from the County for the services performed.

The primary duties and responsibilities of this elected office is to take charge of estates of persons dying within Powder River County for which no administrators are appointed and that, due to a lack of administration, are being wasted, uncared for, or lost; estates of decedents who have no known heirs; estates ordered into the administrator's hands by the court; and estates upon which letters of administration have been issued to the administrator by the court.

In addition to responsibilities for decedent’s estates, the Public Administrator may also be appointed by the Court to serve as a conservator whenever a professional person has reason to believe that any person is in need of the appointment of a conservator for the effective management of the person's property or affairs and that the person has no relative, friend, or other appropriate person who is able and willing to serve as a conservator for the person.

Only in those limited circumstances where a decedent’s estate or an incapacitated person has funds will the Public Administrator receive compensation for the services provided. In those few instances, the Public Administrator may collect a statutory fee, which is accompanied with an accounting to the District Court and Court Order authorizing such fee.

Thus far I have not collected any statutory fee for any appointment I may have. I feel this is small way I can give back to my community.