By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Although it was “not what I was hoping for,” Ellis County Treasurer Ann Pfeifer wished good luck to Republican Lisa Schlegel who defeated Pfeifer, a Democrat, in Tuesday’s election.

In a statement at the Ellis County Democrat headquarters Tuesday night, Pfeifer first thanked her family and supporters and said “it has been an honor to serve Ellis County.

“I would like to wish your new treasurer-elect the best of luck in her first term. I plan to finish serving my term and I appreciate all the opportunities and the people I have met during my time at the county,” Pfeifer added.

Pfeifer’s four-year term as Ellis County treasurer began in Oct., 2013 and will end in Oct., 2017. According to Pfeifer, Schlegel will begin her term the second Tuesday in October 2017.

Pfeifer is especially proud of one accomplishment during her public service as treasurer which she believes has been very helpful to citizens of Ellis County.

“When we got the tax rolls from the county clerk’s office, it used to take us two to three weeks to get it out in the mail, with the use of overtime (pay to county employees.) Now, we’ve actually partnered with a local vendor–Northwestern Printers of Hays–to help us with that mailing process. We’ve gotten that down to where it only takes us about a week to a week and a half to get it to the taxpayers,” she explained. “That’s pretty amazing when you think about the 33,000 tax statements plus the 8,000 mortgage companies’ statements that we have come through our office which all have to be printed, stuffed and sent.”

It was a close race between incumbent Pfeifer and newcomer Schlegel.

With 5,833 votes, Schlegel edged out Pfeifer who received 5,567 votes. Provisional and paper ballots are still to be counted and all vote results are unofficial until canvassed by the Ellis County Commission Monday, Oct. 14.