LINN — In a resignation letter to the Osage County Commissioners, former County Clerk Nicci Kammerich wrote “Due to the many threats, harassment, and bullying my staff and I have received since April 2023 to date in regards to elections, I no longer feel the need or want to serve in this position as it has been affecting my mental and physical health.”

In an interview on Saturday afternoon, Kammerich said she began having significant health problems in March of this year. When it became clear that those issues were stress-related, she began looking for another job. “The lawsuit had nothing to do with my resignation,” Kammerich said, “I started the new job June 24th, and I wasn’t served with a lawsuit until June 28th.”

Kammerich said it has been stressful working two jobs in the interim. “I have a couple days that I can do remote,” she said, “so I go into the office and kind of go back and forth on those days. The other days, I came in after I got back into town (from) my (other) job, and just worked until five, six, or something like that. And weekends.

“With the approval of my new job,” Kammerich added, “I gave the commission advanced notice that I will be resigning by the end of the year; that way they had plenty of time to find someone to appoint.”

In their meeting on Thursday, Osage County Commissioners appointed former Accounting Clerk/Election Deputy Brooke Dudenhoeffer as interim county clerk. Dudenhoeffer worked under Kammerich for nearly four years. “She’s done every election since November 2020,” Kammerich said, “So I do want people to know that she has experience, so they’re not freaking out, but I will also be there. They will call me if they need anything.”

Kammerich and Dudenhoeffer conducted poll worker training together on Saturday, with Kammerich conducting the 8:30 a.m. session as Dudenhoeffer observed, and Dudenhoeffer conducting the 10:30 a.m. session while Kammerich observed.

Kammerich said she took Tuesday, Aug. 6, off work from her new job to assist Dudenhoeffer with the election, as well. “I’m going to be helping her with the election,” Kammerich said. “And if we have a little bit of quiet time, which I hope we do, we’re going to go over some of the other stuff together. And, she knows I’m just right down the road, and I’m willing to help her.

“Don’t (think it) didn’t cross my mind (to be) like, ‘I’m just done,’” Kammerich continued, “but I don’t want to have the girls in the office suffer. I don’t want to suffer. I don’t want the county to suffer. I don’t want the citizens to suffer.”