Photo: Phyllis Gaulding
For the second time, Ozark County has lost its treasurer currently serving in office. According to the Ozark County Times, Phyllis Gaulding Turner died Oct. 10 of cancer.
Turner was an Ozark County native appointed to the office by Governor Jay Nixon in March 2012. She received her appointment following the death of the previous treasurer, David Ford, in October 2011.
Turner relocated to Gainesville from Kansas City in 2004, after marrying John Turner, a current Ozark County presiding commissioner. The pair have owned and operated the Antler Motel in Gainesville for several years, and Phyllis Turner worked for Bryant Freight before being appointed as the Ozark County treasurer.
Nearly five months after her appointment, Turner defeated three other candidates in the Republican primary to fill the two-year unexpired term in the office. She later ran unopposed in 2014 and 2018.
Ozark County Commissioners Greg Donley and Gary Collins say Turner’s assistant, Rickie Johnson, will keep the treasurer’s office open during the replacement process. They also said the commission will contact the office of Missouri Governor Mike Parson to begin the process of filling the vacancy.
Governor Parson will decide who should fill the position. Ozark County Republican Committee Chairman Roger Pittaway says anyone interested should contact the governor’s office and “fill out the appropriate paperwork.” He says it’s possible, but unlikely, the committee would recommend a replacement during Thursday’s annual meeting. Pittaway adds a special meeting would be needed for the committee to meet with anyone who filed with the governor’s office, but there’s no requirement for such a meeting to be held and no guarantee Governor Parson would accept the committee’s recommendation.
The Ozark County County Democratic Committee will also be able to make a recommendation for the governor’s consideration.
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