JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — A new auditor for Jefferson County has been appointed.
Patrick Swain retired as auditor, having been in the position since 1996.
On Tuesday, county commissioners approved Fran Lee as his successor.
Lee has been with the county for over 27 years and has steadily climbed the ranks from staff to manager. She most recently served as the first assistant county auditor since 2017.
Lee's responsibilities will include overseeing payroll, handling bills, conducting internal audits and making sure everything complies with the red tape.
She says she is prepared to tackle the new challenges ahead, but appreciates her colleagues for making this transition easier.
"We have built a wonderful staff. I couldn't do this without the auditor staff that we have. His support his guidance, his mentoring through the years that Patrick did was phenomenal," she said.
Her current term will run through the end of this calendar year, after which the judges will meet again to consider renewing her appointment.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.