The Warren County Board of Supervisors selected David Whipple to serve as Interim Warren County Auditor in a special meeting held Tuesday, replacing former Warren County Auditor Traci Vanderlinden who announced her retirement several weeks ago.

Whipple was one of two candidates for the job, the other being current Deputy Warren County Auditor Kim Sheets. Both candidates were asked questions by the board that included how to run the county more efficiently, election transparency and election worker training, and background qualifications, while Sheets also took questions from the board regarding issues faced by the office over the last several years including the administrative recount for five precincts in the last election, in addition to board minutes and payroll delays.

Whipple tells KNIA News his background in the construction business and training will be a big help towards taking over the office, and he is ready to start learning the job right away by utilizing resources from the state.

“One of the things, shortly after meeting everybody in the office, is to go after finding where is this training happening, when is it happening, and go get my head and mind wrapped around all of the different responsibilities and duties that are going to be involved in this position.”

The board voted to approve Whipple to serve as Interim Auditor starting immediately, and will serve out the remainder of the term which lasts through 2024, and is up for another four-year time in November of 2024. Whipple is a member of Warren County Republican Party, while Sheets served as the Deputy Auditor for Vanderlinden, the lone member of the Democratic Party in Warren County Government. Hear more from Whipple on today’s Let’s Talk Indianola.