Roosevelt County assessor resigns

The new Roosevelt County assessor has resigned, and her deputy is taking her position.

At a special meeting Wednesday morning in the county courthouse, the Roosevelt County Commission voted to accept Evelyn Ledbetter’s resignation and appoint Kenner Carrasco to finish the term. The county assessor’s staff determines property values and the amount of taxes due, using tax rates set by the state.

“We’re excited to have him,” commission Chairman David Sanders said of Carrasco.

Sanders also pointed to Carrasco’s 8 1/2 years experience as an appraiser in the county assessor’s office. Commissioner Bill Cathey said he thought Carrasco would do a good job for the county.

In her letter of resignation, Ledbetter said personal reasons kept her from being able to fulfill the obligations of the office any longer. Her resignation was effective Wednesday.

Ledbetter took office in June after then-Assessor Tex Belcher announced his retirement.

Belcher won re-election as assessor in 2010 after a successful primary race against Carrasco. Belcher had no opponent in the general election.

After Belcher announced his May 31 retirement, the county commission chose Ledbetter from among a pool of applicants that included Carrasco, whom she soon appointed as deputy assessor. Now, Carrasco is to finish Belcher’s term, which runs through 2014.

Carrasco said he was happy the commission chose him as the new assessor.

“We’re going to bring the office up to par as far as the technology part of it,” he said. “We’re really behind.”

Carrasco said he would look at getting new software soon.

“The goals are just for us to be able to look at everything really quickly and be able to get along with property tax,” he said. “I think if you can do that, you’ve done something and you’ll go far.”

Another goal of Carrasco’s is to be fair with his constituents.

“I think if you stay fair, that’s all you can do,” he said.