Sierra County Treasurer-Tax Collector and Clerk-Recorder Announce Retirements

DOWNIEVILLE — During its regular meeting on April 7, 2026, the Sierra County Board of Supervisors discussed retirement notices from two key elected officials and took proactive steps toward smooth transitions.

Jenny Varn, Treasurer-Tax Collector, formally notified the Board in a letter dated March 23, 2026, of her intent to retire effective January 6, 2027. The announcement came as somewhat of a shock to the finance committee, which reviewed the notice before it was presented to the supervisors. Although Varn was appointed to the top position only last year, she has been a long-time county employee. In her notice, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community and emphasized the importance of a stable handover. The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office currently has two relatively new staff members, and Varn offered to remain flexible with her retirement date and assist with the knowledge transfer and onboarding of her successor.

During the meeting, supervisors praised Varn’s contributions and noted the need to begin recruitment promptly — following the same process used successfully for recent vacancies in the Auditor-Controller and Director of Transportation positions. Supervisor Lee Adams floated the idea of recombining the Treasurer-Tax Collector and Auditor-Controller roles, which were split last year after the retirement of Van Maddox, but ultimately agreed to keep the offices separate for now, citing the workload in each. There was consensus to move forward with advertising the position, with Varn confirming she would work with staff to support a managed transition and could extend her service if needed to avoid disruption.

In a related matter, Clerk-Recorder Heather Foster, who has served the county for 29 years, outlined her planned retirement window between October 2026 and June 2027. Foster’s office handles a wide range of critical functions, including acting as County Clerk, Recorder, Registrar of Voters, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and Registrar of Vital Records — responsibilities that have grown significantly in recent years.

To prepare for her departure, the Board unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing the hiring of one full-time Deputy Clerk-Recorder I–III position as part of a formal succession plan. The move will allow for immediate cross-training and knowledge transfer. Because the position was not budgeted for the current fiscal year, supervisors also approved a budget adjustment of up to $24,147.02 from the General Fund to cover the remainder of FY 2025-2026. Annual compensation for the role (including benefits) is estimated between approximately $76,000 and $105,000.

Finance Committee members and staff noted that hiring from within the office (where the current Assistant Clerk-Recorder has expressed interest in the elected Clerk-Recorder position) could result in substantial savings of roughly $100,000 by avoiding the need to backfill the assistant role. If an external candidate is ultimately selected for the Clerk-Recorder position, the new deputy would become a permanent full-time equivalent. The Board and Finance Committee expressed support for beginning recruitment soon.

Both announcements were met with appreciation from the Board for the officials’ long service and commitment to continuity. Supervisors highlighted the importance of thoughtful succession planning in Sierra County, where experienced staff play vital roles in delivering essential public services.

The Board directed staff to proceed with recruitment for the Treasurer-Tax Collector position and authorized the Clerk-Recorder’s office to move forward with hiring the deputy position immediately.