Ellery Elick keeps on rolling

Pickaway County Treasurer Ellery Elick gets around, whether it is in political circles or riding around town on his Can-Am Spyder. So, it was a privilege to connect with him and review his 21 years in public service.

Prior to serving in public office, Elick worked for a local bank. In 2003, the county treasurer retired from office for health reasons, and the Pickaway County Republican Central Committee (PCRCC) was tasked with the responsibility for finding a replacement, because it was a Republican who was the last previous officeholder. It soon became apparent that there would be many candidates seeking the office. His late wife, Pamela, encouraged him to run, reminding him that it was something he always wanted to do.

When the committee’s screening committee conducted interviews of the eight candidates seeking the office, only seven, including Ellery, were deemed qualified. The seven were then invited to speak to the entire PCRCC, and after two rounds of voting, Elick won the majority and was named to be the interim treasurer for the remainder of the term.

He never again had to face a Republican in any election as he has never had an opponent in any Republican primary.

Elick’s first general election was in 2004, winning with 56% of the vote against his Democrat challenger. His winning margins grew through the years, and in his fifth and final general election in 2020, he ran unopposed.

“We’ve come a long way; we’ve modernized the office over the years and just recently did an upgrade on our credit card system,” said Elick.

Elick asks the personnel in his office to switch around and work each other’s jobs which makes the treasurer’s office more efficient in its operations and eliminates stress when one of the office personnel is on vacation.

“Over the years, one of the things I’m most proud of is that there’s been a major change in the investment side of the county. Coming from a banking background really helped me out,” explained Elick. “When I first took over, the county had somewhere around $8 Million in total investments, and I’ve worked to increase it to where it’s around $65 Million today.”

Working with the investment advisory committee, they moved funds that were being held in bank savings accounts earning very low interest into government treasuries or corporate paper that are 100% secured and are earning higher interest rates. Elick has avoided trouble by staying away from risky investments like the derivatives market or investing in gold coins.

Elick is also proud of the way that Pickaway County has arranged the recorder’s office, the treasurer’s office, and the auditor’s office to be together at 110 Island Road so that they are “all within shouting distance of each other!”

A common aspect of each office’s responsibility concerns maintaining real estate records. Elick described the way the offices work together on a real estate sale or transfer, saying that it’s a three-office operation. The first step is the recorder’s office recording the deed, then the auditor gets involved by making sure the conveyance is done properly so that the property is in the new owner’s name, and then the treasurer’s office makes sure that correct billing information is inputed into the computer.

However, there is one matter that does concern Elick. “We still have a lot of foreclosures in the county whether they be tax foreclosures or actual bank foreclosures,” said Elick.

He said that his office administers many payment plans for people that are having some difficulty keeping their taxes current, saying “we’re in the ‘tax-collecting business,’ not the “real estate foreclosure business.’” Elick encourages anyone having difficulty in this area to call him as soon as possible and to determine what can be worked out.

An additional part of Elick’s job is being a part of the Budget Commission of Pickaway County, along with the county prosecutor and county auditor. The commission works with all of the local township and municipal entities to make sure that their budgets are in line, and that they’re not over-collecting compared to what’s been approved by the voters.

With Pickaway County Republican John Howley being the only candidate who qualified for the November 5th ballot, it is fair to assume that he will be elected the next Pickaway County Treasurer. When the election board makes that official, Elick said he looks forward to working with Howley and sharing his knowledge. Elick will remain as the county treasurer until late August 2025 and then officially pass on the duties to Howley, providing ample time for the training. Since Pickaway County has a fiscal year that is the same as the calendar year, Elick will be able to work with Howley through two cycles of tax collection, ensuring a smooth transition.