for Garfield County Treasurer
Contact Carrie Couey:
Website: carrie4garco.com
Carrie Couey is a woman on a mission. The mother of six, a cattle rancher in Silt and current Garfield County Treasurer, Couey knows how to optimize her time and talent to get the job done. Whether she’s helping her husband of 24 years deliver a calf in the middle of the night or she’s on the job as Garfield County Treasurer working to improve customer service, getting the job done competently and efficiently is part of her DNA.
Couey was appointed Garfield County Treasurer in March of 2020 by the Garfield County Commissioners after a vacancy when the previous treasurer resigned. The transition was a seamless one. “It was a smooth process, with no hiccups,” she recalled. “Since taking over, I am proud of how we have run the office and all we have accomplished. We had the biggest bankruptcy recovery Garfield County has ever seen; the highest property tax collection on record last year; we’ve also had good audits and, when Covid-19 hit, we stayed open during the shutdown, and we did all operating on a lean staff.”
As Garfield County Treasurer, Couey is responsible for collecting, safekeeping and dispursing public funds. Monies are collected through property taxes and used to provide countywide services. “We exist to meet taxpayers’ needs,” she explained. “We are the vehicle that keeps payments rolling toward the services that Garfield County residents want such as road maintenance and funding for schools, fire departments, hospitals, and other services we like to have.”
With her education and business background, Couey is a perfect fit for Garfield County Treasurer, both now and in the future. In addition to professional management experience and training in accounting, she holds an executive master’s degree in organizational leadership with a specialty in public and non-profit management. Governmentally, she has served as Vice-Chair on Colorado’s Commission on Judicial Performance and has served on other state level committees and many local ones as well.
During her tenure, Couey has been busy making it easier for customers to interact with the Treasurer’s office. “Since taking over as Treasurer, we moved to the online releases of deeds of trust for qualified lenders which saves our office a lot of paperwork and also makes it easier for the County Clerk’s office to record the releases. Essentially, it makes both our offices run more efficiently. It’s a win-win for everyone. In addition, we will move to online foreclosures starting in November.”
She plans to continue bringing the office up to speed in her second term as County Treasurer as well. “We are moving toward having more modern payment techniques like Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as receiving property tax notices via email and sending out automated text message reminders to customers that bills are due as a courtesy to avoid late fees.”
What’s Couey most proud of? “We strive to be courteous to every customer regardless of the value of their account. We provide the same level of service to every taxpayer.”
Why should Garfield County residents vote for her? “Accounting background, management skills, and professionalism are keys to success in the Office of the Treasurer.” Carrie has the stability, consistency, education, and work experience to continue to produce results for the citizens of Garfield County.