Price County Treasurer candidates QA

There are two Republican candidates who are seeking the office of Price County Treasurer with the announcement that current county treasurer Lynn Neeck is not seeking reelection.

Renée Leinfelder and Marina Miller will both be on the partisan primary election ballot on Aug. 13. The winner will go on unopposed in the Nov. 5 general election with no registered democrats.

The deadline to file as a write-in is noon on Aug. 9, according to Price County County Clerk Jean Gottwald. The only other contested county seat is the clerk, with Gottwald also not seeking election and there are five candidates seeking the Republican primary and no Democrats.

Renée Leinfelder, of Ogema, is currently the retail manager for Prevail Bank. She is also the owner of Ogema Hills Gas & Go LLC.

Marina Miller, of Kennan, is the current deputy county treasurer for Price County.

Both candidates agreed to participate in a candidate’s question and answer interview to educate the voters on their backgrounds and goals for serving Price County.

Question 1: Tell us the personal side of what you’d like the voters to know about you, such as family, education, current or past work experience, passions or hobbies. Please limit your response to 100 words.

Renée Leinfelder: I’m a lifelong Price County resident with a passion for helping people and serving our communities. My husband, Jim, and I reside in Ogema where we raised our family.

I’ve been in banking for 29 years, leading various departments and branches.

We, with our business partner, owned the gas station in Ogema for over 8 years. We did so because we knew the importance to our community.

Community involvement includes a past finance council member and current Board member for Kiwanis.

I enjoy spending time with our family and friends, whether it’s playing games or enjoying UTV rides together.

Marina Miller: My name is Marina Miller and I am running for the Price County Treasurer position. I grew up in Forest County, graduating Valedictorian in 1988.

Following graduation, I moved to the Rhinelander area where I met my husband, Steve, a self-employed logger. March of 2025 will be our 30th wedding anniversary. We moved to Price County in 2005 and have a daughter, Lily, who will be a senior this year at Phillips High School. If not attending our daughter’s athletic events, you can usually find us outdoors where our schedules are dictated by the hunting and fishing seasons!

Question 2: How are you prepared to step into a county treasurer position that requires government accounting and bookkeeping skills, along with knowledge of finance and taxes, preparing regular reports for the county administrator, board supervisors, auditors and external agencies, and knowledge of policies and procedures? What are the essential skills or experience? Please limit your response to 200 words.

Renée Leinfelder: My banking career has prepared me to step into this role in many ways. I have worked with many municipalities on the deposit side; assisted several with setting up their online banking and reviewing the system. I also sit on our Asset & Liability Committee. From the accounting perspective, some responsibilities include reconciling accounts, balancing general ledgers, as well as working to resolve any variances. Our business required strong bookkeeping skills. Some duties included Accounts Payable/Receivable, ensuring all taxes were paid on time, such as sales tax, employee withholding, etc. In addition, I also completed our various licensing requirements with the state in a timely manner.

From a leadership role, I’ve written many procedures and was ultimately responsible for the frontline staff training. There are many compliance and regulatory requirements for banks to adhere to and I was responsible for the frontline staff to comply with those rules and regulations.

I’ve worked with both internal and external auditors over the years. I provided the documentation requested for their review and answered any questions.

I realize banking accounting is different from government accounting and I’m more than willing to learn.

Marina Miller: I feel as though I am very prepared to step in as the County Treasurer on Day One because I currently serve as the Deputy County Treasurer and have been in that role since October 2018. I’ve spent almost 6 years working under the current Treasurer, Lynn Neeck, and feel confident I can continue to provide the same trusted service she has provided for more than three decades. I already have established working relationships with local municipal government officials, the County Board of Supervisors and County Administration. I have taken part in the County’s yearly audits and feel that my past experience in the Treasurer’s Office would be a great asset to the position. I look forward to working with the new County Clerk and believe the future of Price County government looks very bright due to the sharp and knowledgeable team we already have in place. As expected, the necessary skills needed in this office should include accuracy when handling finances and integrity to keep those funds safe and secure. But more importantly, an ability to be a “people person” and an effective communicator is always at the top of my list.

Question 3: The county treasurer works a great deal with the public and with municipalities on tax and other matters. How do you see yourself in this role? Please limit your response to 100 words.

Renée Leinfelder: I have worked in customer service my entire career. Whether I’m working with an internal customer or an external customer, all receive the same level of service.

My employer requested I create a customer experience training program that includes the expectations of how we will serve our customers. Each new employee completes this training as part of their orientation.

Our department works closely with our deposit and loan operations teams, loan processing and other various departments. Communication requires diplomacy as job roles differ in departments. I have always believed in servant leadership to prioritize growth and empowerment of employees.

Marina Miller: As I mentioned before, effective communication skills are a must! I have been employed in some form of County government for over 20 years. Interaction with the public has always been a huge part of my job duties. I stand by the motto: Firm, Fair and Consistent. If everyone is always treated the same (no preferential treatment given) then one’s day to day business (for the most part) will run smoothly. Respect and patience with customers is also essential. The Treasurer and the Clerk’s office are here to serve the taxpayers. Courteous and professional service should be expected.