New county collector, Gholson, set to take office next week

Cape Girardeau County will have a new county collector, effective Dec. 1, after action Thursday by the county commission.

County Collector Diane Diebold handed in a letter of resignation Nov. 27, effective at midnight Nov. 30, said Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy at Thursday's regular meeting.

Barbara Gholson, who won the Nov. 6 election for the seat, will take office at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 1, and be sworn in Monday, Tracy said.

Commissioner Paul Koeper said this is an interim appointment to fill the gap between Diebold's resignation and the March 4 start date for Gholson's elected term.

While most county officials take office at the beginning of January, Koeper said, the county collector starts in March, and the county assessor starts in September.

Those are the only two offices with different start dates, he noted.

When asked by Tracy if she was "all set," Gholson replied, "Yes, sir."

Tracy said this move will not disrupt collections.

Koeper said Gholson must be bonded, and that was being processed as of Thursday morning.

When Gholson takes over, Koeper said, the books will be closed out, and as required by Missouri law, an audit will be performed.

That audit will review the books from their closure back, Koeper said.

In October, Gholson told the Southeast Missourian, if elected, she would work with state government "to get our tax files online so that the license bureaus would be able to find paid tax receipts or citizens of the county could renew their licenses online."

Gholson had said she also wants to set up an online database for taxpayers, banks, title companies and others to print tax receipts and look up tax amounts.

Diebold took office after the late Harold Kuehle's retirement in 1999.

Kuehle hired Gholson in 1998 when he was collector, according to previous reporting.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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