Curry County assessor resigns

Curry County Assessor Randa Jesko resigned on Sunday, offering no formal explanation.

"I, Randa Jesko, formally resign my position as Curry County Assessor, effective immediately," she wrote in an email to county officials. Her one-sentence resignation letter was obtained by The News following a public information request under the state's Inspection of Public Records Act.

Jesko did not respond to questions on Monday.

Candace London, the deputy assessor who held the position prior to Jesko, said she's overseeing the office, at least for now.

"I don't really know how we'll be handling this," London said Monday afternoon.

Jesko was elected to the office in 2022, running on the Republican ticket without opposition in the primary and the general election.

London had to leave the elected position in 2022 after serving the maximum of two consecutive terms.

Officials said Monday that county commissioners will be charged with appointing a successor for Jesko; that person will hold the office until the next election is scheduled in March.

Commission Chair Robert Thornton said commissioners had no immediate plans for naming a new assessor.

London said she'd like to have the job again, but County Attorney Daniel Mackey said he believes she is ineligible until after the 2024 elections, when she could have two more terms.

London said Jesko was in the office last week but she didn't know if she was there on Friday.

County Manager Lance Pyle did not respond to questions from The News on Monday about whether he had additional information regarding Jesko's resignation.

The county manager does not oversee the position since it's chosen by voters.

County records show Jesko was first hired to work in the assessor's office in 2014 and that she was appointed chief deputy assessor by London in 2019, Pyle said.

The assessor's office determines property value of homes, businesses and other taxable property in the county, according to its website.

The assessor's annual salary is $67,869.84.