Megan Spielman named new La Paz County Administrator

Megan Spielman has been named as the new La Paz County Administrator by the Board of Supervisors. For several years she has been serving as Clerk of the Superior Court.

The decision was officially made in a meeting of the Board on Thursday afternoon, in which the Supervisors voted unanimously to hire Spielman for the position.

Spielman is a true, 4th-generation local, who grew up in the Parker area and decided to stay in her hometown as an adult. In 2009 she became Director of Victim Services for the La Paz County Attorney’s Office, serving a few years in that position and being trained in Arizona law and compliance issues. She was appointed as Clerk of the Superior Court in 2013, and has been elected and re-elected in the years since, serving with multiple judges in that position.

As head of her department, Spielman has spent around 8 years with La Paz County budgets, administration and politics, which sets her apart from her predecessor, Ron Drake, who was hired from Avondale, AZ in 2017 in the middle of what came to be described as a financial crisis at the County. Drake was hired partly with a vision for getting the County back ‘in the black’, with better balances of revenues and expenses. It is widely acknowledged that the County is in much better fiscal shape now, at the start of Spielman’s tenure.

The County Administrator is a position similar to the CEO of a company, or the Manager of a municipality. The voters elect the 3-member Board of Supervisors, which in turn hires the County Administrator, who implements the Board’s decisions. The job involves meeting with the heads of County departments and elected officials, budgeting, overseeing County operations, and collaborating with the Board on how to implement new directives.

“It has been an absolute honor to serve as the elected clerk,” Spielman told Parker Live. “I would like the citizens of La Paz County to know that making this decision was very difficult, as I have enjoyed dedicating the past 8 years to providing efficient, accurate, courteous and professional services to the public, the court and the legal community. I realize that this extraordinary opportunity to be the La Paz County Administrator offers such significant career growth and a chance to continue to have a positive impact on our local government on a much larger scale. There wasn’t much time to make this decision and my family played an important role in the direction I decided to go. It would be an understatement to say that I will truly miss my amazing staff, but I very much look forward to working with this Board, the department directors, the elected officials, and all of the employees in this county as I continue to invest in my community and local government.”

Spielman will now submit her resignation as Clerk to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who will then appoint a replacement to the office. She will officially assume her new role as County Administrator on February 22nd. The Board has agreed to a ‘transition period’ to allow Megan to stay involved with the Courts until her replacement is appointed.

“We are excited about the professionalism, skills, and love for our County Megan will bring to this position,” reads a statement from the County. “We recognize her work ethic, accountability, and communication skills as much-needed assets to help move La Paz County forward. We have a bright future ahead of us! The Board wants to express appreciation to each and every County staff member who has stepped up during this time of flux, taking on extra duties and filling gaps to maintain County services. We are confident County staff and the citizens of La Paz County will enjoy working with Megan in her new role.”