Former clerk-treasurer to take over as county financial officer

After three years guiding the finances of the East Fork Fire & Protection District, former Clerk-Treasurer Kathy Lewis is going back to work for the county.

Lewis has been hired as the county’s next chief financial officer, the role she had at the fire district.

On Thursday, county commissioners are being asked to confirm her appointment as county comptroller and auditor.

County commissioners meet 10 a.m. at the Douglas County Courthouse in Minden.

A 25-year resident of Douglas County, Lewis is sister-in-law to former Douglas County Superintendent of Schools Keith Lewis.

She was the county’s budget officer when she was appointed the county’s ninth clerk-treasure on Feb. 19, 2015. She was elected to the office in 2016 and again in 2018.

She resigned the office to take the position with East Fork Fire Protection District after a contentious 2020 election year and has worked for the district since.

Lewis is taking the reins from County Chief Financial Officer Terri Willoughby, who announced back in September that she plans to retire after five years.

She came to work for the county Oct. 1, 2018, and started cleaning up county finances in the wake of the $1 million Tiregate embezzlement.

Willoughby came to the county with 25 years experience in public finances, getting her start working for Riverside County, before moving to the city of Riverside. She was finance director of the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department prior to arriving in Douglas County.