Laura Cook’s work over 27 years in the Ogle County Clerk and Recorder’s Office included elections, records, property taxes and land transactions. She retired from her position as clerk and recorder on Dec. 19.

Cook began as a deputy clerk in 1998 and was chief deputy clerk before being elected clerk and recorder in 2016.

“I worked at the Oregon Savings Center for a few years and always had an interest in working in a courthouse,” Cook said. “After a few years Rebecca Huntley promoted me to deputy clerk. In 2016 I ran for the position of clerk and recorder. I had some reservations about the responsibility and running for clerk and recorder, but a county board member convinced me to run.”

The county clerk and recorder’s office has five major functions: serving as the clerk of the Ogle County Board and keeper of county records, being the county’s chief election officer, being keeper of vital records such as births, civil unions, marriages and deaths; computation of property taxes and redemption of delinquent taxes, and recording and maintaining all land transactions in the county.

The county clerk also issues recreation, liquor and video gaming licenses for unincorporated areas of the county, provides legal registration of voters, supervises training of election judges, and pays all county bills from the general fund.

”Tax extension is the trickiest part of the work,” Cook said. “That includes working with taxing bodies and budgets and bonds and more. That was always nerve racking. I oversaw four employees in the clerk’s office and two in the recorder’s office.”

Cook called her decision to retire “tough” and said she worked with “a lot of great” elected officials, department heads and staff members, whom she thanked for their help along the way.

At its Dec. 16 meeting, the Ogle County Board recognized Cook for her years of service and proclaimed Dec. 19 “Laura Cook Day” in Ogle County in her honor.

“The recognition from the county board upon my retirement was very meaningful to me,” Cook said. “My mom, Cathleen, was always my biggest supporter and she passed away a couple of years ago. I know it would have meant a lot to her.”

Cook said that running for office in 2016 was one of the most memorable experiences of her tenure. When she started in 1998, technology and the internet were just starting to be used by the clerk’s office, and she saw that evolve through 2025.

The county clerk administers elections of national, state and county officials within Ogle County. There are 51 precincts with approximately 34,000 registered voters under the jurisdiction of the Ogle County clerk. The clerk also administers all elections for schools, parks, townships and other special districts under their jurisdiction.

Cook worked many election nights over the years with other members of the clerk’s office and election judges.

“Election nights were always memorable and they could get hectic,” Cook said. “I remember a few close races and things would come up that we’d have to take care of on the fly. I remember the busy presidential elections with high turnouts when we’d have to find extra help. The support and willingness to help out from our election judges meant a lot to me over the years. I remember people who would call and ask to help out. Those people always made the work easier.”

On Dec. 16, the Ogle County Board appointed Rebecca Duke to fill the county clerk and recorder position until the next election.

“I’ll miss the camaraderie in the office most,” Cook said. “I liked how the team worked well together. We have a good team in place and the office is in good hands for the years ahead.”