Blakeman, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democrat Linda Bolon in November 2020, but newly elected treasurers wait until the following September to take office. Since that time, Blakeman said he has taken nearly 30 hours of continuing education and working with mentors to learn intricacies of the job.

“I’m sure I don’t know everything day one,” Blakeman said, “but I’m excited to get my hands around it and look to improve it.”

While county residents were in the courthouse to pay their property taxes on Friday, Blakeman was sworn in by Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Carol Ann Robb at noon in the County Commissioner’s meeting room. In attendance were his parents, Steve and Kathy Blakeman; his daughters, Lauren and Lexi Blakeman; his grandmothers, Palma Blakeman and Janet Horst; his girlfriend Betsy Theodore; and his brother, Brad Blakeman.

“To me, family is very important,” Blakeman said. “It’s an emotional day. I told my daughters there is a lot of weight and responsibility that comes with any public office… I’m going to give it 100 percent.”

County Treasurer Bryan Blakeman with his brother Brad Blakeman. (Salem News photo by Deanne Johnson)

Blakeman said there are a few things he hopes to accomplish right away, but does not plan to make any immediate changes in the office, instead hoping to learn from the employees currently responsible for the operations of the office.

“They know their jobs. They know them well,” Blakeman said, adding he believes after watching he will come up with things that can be improved, things they will find a way to implement.

He has been in contact with the fiduciaries responsible for the day-to-day management of the county’s investments and believes there is no reason COVID relief funds cannot be invested. He wants to increase the county’s investments by moving about $25 million he said the county has received in COVID relief funds into short term investments where the county can earn some interest. Currently, Blakeman said the county has between $65 and $70 million invested and this will greatly increase that amount.

The most recent COVID relief funds received by the county were about $9.8 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds, some of which the county commissioners have allocated for upcoming projects.

Additionally, Blakeman wants to upgrade the IT infrastructure of the office, giving employees the ability to work using laptops and with a secure VPN connection. Blakeman said he has also been in conversation with the commissioners about having a separate email system for the treasurer’s office, instead of going through the auditor’s office, which leads to confusion.

County Treasurer Bryan Blakeman with his grandmothers (left) Janet Horst and (right) Palma Blakeman. (Salem News photo by Deanne Johnson)

“I like things to be cleaner than that,” Blakeman said, explaining that emails from the treasurer’s office currently have the @columbianacntyauditor.org designation.

Additionally, Blakeman said after speaking with Bolon Friday he is under the impression the carpeting has not been replaced since Strabala was in office, referring to the former county treasurer Ardel Strabala who cost the county millions due to an investment scandal.

“My intention is to work with the commissioners to get the funds to bring the treasurer’s office into the 21st century,” Blakeman said.

Bolon was in the courthouse on Friday as well and has left Blakeman lots of information she compiled on the operations of the office and the investments. During her last report to the commissioners she gave them in July, Bolon reported the county has $104.7 million in the fund balances, spread out of 335 funds, including $7.9 million in the general fund.

Bolon was one of the office holders that helped the struggling county recover financially during more than 14 years in office spread out between two time periods.

County Treasurer Bryan Blakeman with his girlfriend Betsy Theodore. (Salem News photo by Deanne Johnson)

County Auditor James Armeni said Bolon was one of the people who gave him advice and guidance when he took office in January. Despite being from different parties, Armeni said Bolon showed him things he needed to know for the operation of his office and he appreciated her devotion to public service.

“I enjoyed working with Linda in our brief time here together and I wish her well,” Armeni said. “She worked for the betterment of the county.”

County Treasurer Bryan Blakeman with his parents Steve and Kathy Blakeman. (Salem News photo by Deanne Johnson)

New County Treasurer Bryan A. Blakeman is sworn in by Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Carol Robb in the county courthouse on Friday with his daughters Lexi and Lauren, not pictured. (Salem News photo by Deanne Johnson)