Sullivan County has a new person overseeing its finances, but for Kathleen Lara, the job feels like a continuation of work she’s been doing for years.

Lara was elected County Treasurer in November, stepping into the county’s top fiscal leadership role after more than a decade inside the Treasurer’s Office. She previously served 11 years as Deputy Treasurer, helping manage daily operations and learning the complexities of county finances from the ground up.

“I’ve learned it from the bottom up,” Lara said in an interview with Radio Catskill. “I know every part of this office — from stuffing envelopes to handling foreclosures and surplus funds. I’ve seen every side of it.”

A lifelong Monticello resident, Lara traces her family roots in Sullivan County back generations. She grew up locally, graduated from Monticello High School, and later worked as a paralegal for 17 years before joining county government. Public service, she said, runs in the family: her father served on the Town of Thompson council and her grandmother worked as town clerk.

That background shaped her decision to pursue the Treasurer’s role.

“I’m honored and grateful for the trust the residents of Sullivan County have placed in me,” Lara said. “I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of our County with dedication, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.”

The Treasurer’s Office plays a central — and often behind-the-scenes — role in county government. Lara’s team handles the flow of money in and out of county accounts, issues payroll and vendor payments, oversees accounting, manages real property tax services, processes room and solid waste taxes, and handles foreclosure proceedings.

“People think all we do is sign checks,” she said. “There’s so much more.”

As she settles into the position, Lara says one of her top priorities is making the office more visible and accessible to residents. She plans to increase communication through newsletters, public outreach, and visits to towns and community groups to explain how the county’s financial systems work.

“I want to be a face people recognize,” she said. “If you walk into a government office and don’t know who to talk to, that’s frustrating. I don’t want this office to feel like that.”

She hopes clearer communication can also reduce confusion around taxes and foreclosures — processes that many residents find intimidating.

“Taxes are people’s paychecks. They’re people’s savings,” Lara said. “They deserve to understand where their money is going and how everything works.”

That approach extends to small changes, too. For example, the office now takes extra steps to track down why returned mail doesn’t reach property owners, rather than simply assuming residents will follow up themselves.

“People can’t pay a bill they didn’t know they had,” she said. “If we can make the process a little less painful, we should.”

Lara steps into the role at a time when county budgets are under close scrutiny and financial forecasts remain uncertain. She said the Treasurer’s responsibility is to provide realistic revenue estimates and advocate for taxpayers while working alongside lawmakers and the county manager’s office.

“Our job is to be careful and responsible,” she said. “Every dollar counts.”

Ultimately, Lara says she wants residents to feel comfortable reaching out — even if their question isn’t strictly about the Treasurer’s Office.

“If someone needs help navigating county government, I want them to feel like they can come see me,” she said. “A smile and a little time goes a long way. We’re here to help.”