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HARTINGTON – Jessica Schmit is ready to serve the people of her home county in a public capacity.
The rural Coleridge woman was appointed as the new Cedar County clerk on Jan. 9 during the board of commissioners’ first meeting of 2024.
Schmit has taken over the position from Dave Dowling, who has retired from the role after a 37-year career. She will finish the current four-year term, which runs through December 2026.
“I am excited for the opportunity to serve Cedar County and to work with everyone at the courthouse,” Schmit said. “It is a great group of people.”
She expressed her gratitude for Dowling being willing to be a mentor during the upcoming election cycle. The county clerk’s position also comes with titles of election commissioner and register of deeds.
“There is a lot to learn, but I am up for the challenge,” Schmit said. “I have learned a lot from Dave and everyone in the office already. There is a lot of history in our vault and that has been interesting. Darla Frank and Charlene Sudbeck have years of experience and I know they will be very helpful as I continue to learn.”
She had never worked in any government setting before she was hired in August to work for the county clerk’s office as a staff member.
“I am looking forward to the budget process and all that entails,” Schmit said. “I really enjoy working with numbers, so I think I will enjoy that part of the job a lot.”
She graduated in 2002 from Coleridge High School and went on to Concordia University in Seward, where she graduated in 2006 after majoring in business administration and minoring in accounting.
Schmit took a few additional courses she needed at Wayne State College in order to meet the qualifications to take the state exam to become a certified public accountant and completed that in 2008.
She then used that certification to work in public accounting for Sehi & Associates P.C. in Norfolk for about five years, mostly focusing on farm taxation in that position.
After that, Schmit worked full time for Zimmatic irrigation system dealers – Petersen Ag Systems and then Keiser Ag & Irrigation – before moving to part time and then joining the county clerk’s office as one of its staff members.
“As my family grew, I moved to part time,” Schmit said. “I really loved my job working with farmers, but saw this as a better opportunity for my family and my career.”
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 17 years, Nick, and their seven children: Kendra, 14; Luke, 11; Tenley, 11; Tate, 9; Ashley, 7; Josh, 7; and Dani Jo, 4.
Schmit, a Cedar County native, lives with her family on the same farm she grew up on south of Coleridge.
“I enjoy running and working outside on the farm, but I spend the majority of my time supporting the kids in their activities,” Schmit said. “Cedar County is truly a great place to live and raise a family.
“As I considered the (county clerk) position, I thought about how my role as the clerk could impact that and help ensure that the county continues to thrive and be a place young people want to return to and raise their families,” she said.
