Conference Board Lands New County Assessor

Mills County has filled its vacant county assessor position.

Rashelle Wohlers, currently the chief deputy assessor in Harrison County, will begin her duties as Mills County Assessor Friday, June 12. She’s replacing Christina Govig, who was terminated by the Mills County Conference Board last winter.

The conference board, made up of county supervisors, mayors and school board members, is responsible for setting the assessor’s office budget and the hiring of staff.

Richard Crouch, Mills County Conference Board chair, said Wohlers was one of the two finalists for the position. Her hiring came despite a recommendation by the Mills County Examining Board (a three-member board of citizens responsible for recruiting and interviewing candidates) to hire the other finalist. The other finalist is already a certified assessor in Iowa, while Wohlers is not.

“That’s one hang up. This gentleman is certified and she isn’t. He’s been an assessor for 22 years, so yes, he should be certified,” said Crouch. “She (Wohlers) has passed the assessor’s test in good standing, but she can’t quality until she’s been an assessor. I think it’s two years before she can get enough hours of training.”

The assessor certification process in Iowa involves the completion of some preliminary course work, passage of the state exam administered by the Iowa Department of Revenue and some additional continuing education.

Crouch said he was appreciative of the work of the Mills County Examining Board, but the decision to hire Wohlers came down to finances.

“We had two candidates we worked with and interviewed as a conference board,” he said. “We had some good discussion. It came down to, ‘What would it take for you to be assessor of Mills County? Salary and working with people.’”
Wohlers has agreed to a starting salary of $110,000 with the potential for a $5,000 raise after a six-month review.  The other finalist, according to Crouch, wanted a starting salary of $140,000, four weeks vacation this year and a guarantee that he would be re-appointed to the position in 2027.

Since Govig’s departure from the office, Mills County Auditor Amber Farnan has been serving as interim assessor, as required by state law. A member of the auditor’s office staff and Pam Mayberry, a retired employee of the assessor’s office, have been doing work for the office as well.

“Amber’s ready to give it up because it’s made a lot of work in her office,” said. Crouch.

The assessor’s office currently has no deputy assessor, so the conference board will be involved in that hiring after Wohlers is aboard. Crouch noted that Mayberry will continue working in the office on a part-time basis during the transition.

Crouch is optimistic Wohlers will be good a good hire for the county.

“She’s got her work cut out for her, but I believe she can handle it.  I think she’s very aggressive in what she does.”

Crouch said Wohlers will not be moving to Mills County.

“She’s married to a farmer and you can’t move the farm,” he said.