News
Harelson seeks re-election as county 'bean counter' October 20, 2008
HARELSON
Harelson seeks re-election as county 'bean counter' (Oct. 20, 2008)
By Stacy D. Stumbo of the Daily Courier
John Harelson believes Josephine County needs a "bean counter" in the
Treasurer and Tax Collector's Office.
"It is a job that requires a person of high integrity," said Harelson, who has held
the seat for nearly 12 years. "Being entrusted with the citizens' money is a big
responsibility. It is something I take very seriously."
The county treasurer manages cash and investments ranging from $30 million to
over $65 million. He collects and distributes property taxes for schools, cities, the
county and other tax districts. He accounts for and invests 46 trust and agency
funds, manages 47,000 property tax accounts and issues 15,000 reminder notices
and about 4,000 delinquent notices annually.
Since 1997, Harelson has been responsible for more than $16.4 million in
investment earnings for the county, with no losses.
Commissioner Dave Toler said, "I have full confidence in what he does."
Harelson's opponent, Dale Matthews, operates nonprofit Interschool Television
(iTV) and a monthly publication called First Friday, but has no background in
finance. Matthews said he serves as treasurer of iTV, the Redwood Lions Club
and the local Americans for Prosperity group.
Toler said he is "appalled" there are no minimum-qualifications' requirements for
people seeking the office of treasurer.
"That's insane," he said. "It's a job that requires the ability to handle millions of
dollars. John is extremely professional and competent. He's done a great job for
the county."
Harelson is a certified public accountant with 38 years experience. He's also
served on the governing boards of the Rotary Club of Grants Pass, Community
Development Corporation of Josephine County and Rogue Community College.
Harelson oversees the county's tax-foreclosure process. Matthews has accused
him of advocating acceleration of foreclosures from three years to 30 days in order
to fund county offices. Harelson acknowledges the county considered an
ordinance that would have reduced the remittance period, but the regulation never
was never approved.
"The treasurer does not set policy," Harelson said. "As far as money going to the
county, that's not how it works. The money (from foreclosures) is distributed to the
taxing districts."
Records show that only three home sites, abandoned by their owners, have been
foreclosed on by the county since 2002.
Harelson's family moved to Wonder when he was about a year old.
"There was no running water. No plumbing in the house," he recalled. Harelson
went to school in Jerome Prairie and Wilderville and graduated from Grants Pass
High School.
He married Sunny Valley resident Verna Edgerton and enrolled at Lewis and Clark
College. After two years, he left school and joined the Peace Corps. The
experience was cut short for medical reasons.
The couple returned to Grants Pass. In 1968, Harelson earned a bachelor's
degree in business from Southern Oregon State College (now Southern Oregon
University) in Ashland. He got a job in a certified public accountant's office, but
decided he needed experience outside the Rogue Valley. He worked for a large
accounting firm in Anchorage, Alaska, and was a utility comptroller in Fairbanks
before he, "Got a real calling to come home."
Harelson set up an accounting practice in Grants Pass before taking a job at
Southern Oregon Bank. He later worked as chief financial officer at Bentwood
Furniture for about four years.
"When I turned 50 and I gained some understanding of what I wanted to do with
the second half of my life," he said.
He did some consulting work and joined niece Cynthia Harelson at her accounting
firm. He had an epiphany in 1996, when then-Treasurer Jan Elsasser decided not
to seek re-election.
"I thought, 'Oh, there's a job I could do,'" Harelson recalled.
In the general election he was challenged by Patricia Liebig and won. Harelson
faced Liebig again in 2000 and ran unopposed in 2004. Harelson acted as CFO
and budget officer after Finance Office employee Lisa Steele was caught
embezzling $185,565 in public funds.
o o o
Reach reporter Stacy D. Stumbo at 474-3806 or sstumbo@thedailycourier.com
