Madison County Auditor resigns one day after dismissing legal petition
MADISON COUNTY, Iowa – Madison County Auditor Teri Kaczinski, who has drawn scrutiny in recent months for repeatedly trying to hire her campaign manager through different channels, has resigned from her elected position.
Kaczinski made the announcement on her official Facebook page Tuesday afternoon. The move comes one day after her legal petition against the Board of Supervisors was dismissed in court.
In the written announcement, Kaczinski stated she would work through the end of the fiscal year with her resignation effective July 4, 2025, to 'allow time for the Board of Supervisors to appoint a replacement and for me to help ensure a responsible transition—something I was not afforded when I took office.'
She claimed the Auditor's office 'was in disarray' when she assumed it last Fall, and claimed her decision came after 'relentless online harassment, inaccurate and slanted media coverage, bureaucratic harassment by both the media and a small group of people.'
WHO 13 reached out to Kaczinski numerous times- in person, over the phone, and through email- for months when alleged issues arose, but Kaczinski rarely ever responded to provide clarification.
In response to WHO 13's request for comment on her resignation announcement Tuesday, Kaczinski replied via email, 'I don't speak to the liberal media if you haven't noticed by now.'
You can read her resignation announcement in its entirety below:
In recent months, many residents voiced concerns over Kaczinski's lack of presence at county budget meetings and the hours she kept at the Auditor's office. Several times WHO-13 went to her office inside the Winterset courthouse and found it was closed.
On April 2, citizens were told that Kaczinski was attending an Iowa State Elections Administrators Training (SEAT) in Fort Dodge. In response to public concern, WHO-13 reached out to the Iowa State Association of County Auditors (ISACA), which confirmed Kaczinski was not present for the training.
'Teri Kaczinski did not attend the SEAT training in Fort Dodge last week, however, Mikayla Simpson from her office did,' said President of ISACA, Adam Wedmore.
Simpson is the Madison County Elections Deputy. Kaczinski, who had been copied on Wedmore's response, emailed WHO 13 and explained that she had driven to Fort Dodge the morning of the training, but had to return home due to a family emergency. She declined to say what the emergency was. She provided a copy of a virtual gas receipt that appeared to be from April 2 in Fort Dodge. However, the receipt did not contain any information that could identify where it came from or if it belonged to Kaczinski or Simpson. Kaczinski did not respond when questioned about that aspect.
In early April, Kaczinski filed a legal petition surrounding a Board of Supervisors' resolution to hire Leslie Beck as a part-time Second Deputy within the Auditor's office for $27 an hour. Beck was Kaczinski's campaign manager during her 2024 run for the Auditor's office, and more recently organized a monetary fundraiser for Supervisor Chair Heather Stancil. The resolution came after multiple efforts by Kaczinski to employ Beck using county funds. Those efforts included twice as an employee of the Auditor's office and a third time as an employee of a third-party consulting agency that was hired by Kaczinski in late January for $250 an hour.
Stancil abstained from the vote. Supervisor Jessica Hobbs voted in favor of it, and Supervisor Diane Fitch voted against it, stating she was worried about transparency and the process by which Beck's hiring had been previously handled. The vote created tension during a public BOS meeting, with Kaczinski calling in on a public line and mentioning a potential lawsuit. The legal petition was filed days later.
'I trust the Board of Supervisors will appoint a qualified replacement and ask that the community give that person a fair chance,' said Kaczinski in her resignation letter. 'The office of Auditor is too important to be used as a political pawn.'
According to Iowa code, a vacancy in an elected county office can either be filled by appointment for the duration of the term, or through a special election if voters petition for it.
The next Madison County Board of Supervisors meeting with public comment will be Tuesday, May 13 at 6 p.m.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
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