‘The Hopeful and the Has-Been’: Sierra County’s Clerk-Recorder Handoff

DOWNIEVILLE – Melissa Kinneer, who spent more than 14 years working alongside Heather Foster in the Sierra County Clerk-Recorder’s Office, was appointed October 6 to lead the office following Foster’s retirement.

The Sierra County Board of Supervisors selected Kinneer after publicly interviewing two candidates. County Assessor Eric Jackson administered her oath of office immediately after the appointment. Later that morning, the board honored Foster’s 29-year county career with a resolution of appreciation and tributes from colleagues.

Board Chair Paul Roen suggested, in jest, “The Hopeful and the Has-Been” as a headline for the changing of the guard.

Kinneer takes responsibility for an office that conducts county elections, records deeds and other official documents, maintains birth, death, and marriage records, and serves as clerk to the Board of Supervisors.

The appointment fills the remainder of Foster’s elected term. A county ordinance adopted in March 2025 extended the term of the clerk-recorder elected in 2022 to six years, with the next election for the office scheduled for the 2028 presidential primary.

The interviews and deliberations took place in open session, with California’s Brown Act requiring public consideration of appointments to elected offices. Supervisors asked both applicants the same seven questions, covering qualifications, elections, records, board proceedings, legal compliance, working relationships, and priorities for the transition.

Kinneer told supervisors she had worked her way up through the office and served as assistant clerk-recorder since 2018. She described experience managing staff, preparing board agendas and records, processing candidate filings, checking vote counts, and reporting results to the state.

She said she had been building election ballots for about four years and had helped implement a new recording system. Election transparency was a priority, she said, with the office inviting the public to observe its work.

Kinneer recalled walking to someone’s house in a rainstorm to administer an oath because the person could not come outside.

“I care about where I live. I care about the people here,” she said.

Asked about her initial priorities, Kinneer said she wanted to carry forward the practices Foster had taught her while continuing to seek improvements and listen to staff. She repeatedly credited Foster with giving her the training and resources to take on the job.

The other applicant, Shanna Kuhlemier, a county behavioral health compliance officer and contract manager, described more than 20 years of experience in municipal and special-district clerk work. She said she held a certified municipal clerk credential and had served as a field elections deputy for Nevada County.

Kuhlemier described handling candidate nomination papers in Truckee, assisting with ballot counting in a Nevada County special election, managing records, and implementing software for preparing board agendas. She said annual training on election law and other legal changes helped her stay current and train colleagues.

Kuhlemier also emphasized continuity, acknowledging Kinneer’s knowledge of the office and saying she would bring her own experience to its existing processes.

Kuhlemier asked whether the board had a staffing strategy if the appointment created a need for an additional position. Supervisor Lee Adams said the board had made staffing changes in the budget but had held off on increases because of budget constraints.

Adams said both candidates brought qualifications that could enable them to do the job. Kinneer’s experience in the office and the board’s familiarity with her training favored her selection, he said. Adams moved to appoint Kinneer, and Supervisor Terry LeBlanc seconded the motion. The board voted unanimously to confirm the appointment, with the exception of Sharon Dryden, who was absent.

Foster retired in late September after a county career that began August 20, 1997, as a deputy clerk-recorder. She became chief deputy in 2001 and assistant clerk-recorder in 2004, then won election in June 2006. She was sworn in January 8, 2007, as Sierra County’s 19th clerk-recorder.

The resolution of appreciation, read by Adams, traced Foster’s reelections in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. It described her nearly 20 years leading the office as the second-longest tenure of a county clerk since Sierra County’s creation in 1852 and praised her professionalism, patience, and kindness.

The colleagues who spoke offered examples of that support. Jenny Varn, the county treasurer-tax collector, recalled Foster encouraging her to apply for a county tax job in 2008, when she was working at a grocery store and lacked confidence.

“She saw something in me I didn’t see yet,” Varn said. She described Foster as a mentor and a reliable source of guidance on county policies and procedures.

Former county Planning and Transportation Director Tim Beals praised Foster and Kinneer for their resourcefulness and willingness to help. Kinneer thanked Foster for the skills and confidence she had given her, describing a relationship that had grown into friendship as well as mentorship.

Foster said it had been an honor to serve and that she would miss the people she had worked with.

“I’m ready for something new. And you’re in good hands. You made a great decision this morning,” Foster said.