The Itat Quarterly

Q: How long have you been the treasurer of Polk County?
A: I was appointed as Polk County Treasurer in 2021. It has been a fulfilling 5 years and I look forward to many more.

Q: How did you get your start?
A: A friend told me about the position and to consider submitting a cover letter and resume. I asked for more information, talked it over with my family and submitted the documents. This position was an opportunity to utilize all my skills and experience, and to continue working in the community. I did not think about the political aspects at first, since this was an appointment. However, I did have to come to terms with the fact I would have to run to keep this position. I never considered being an elected official or running for an office. So, with the encouragement and help from many supporters, friends and family, I won my first election. It is an honor to work with my team to improve processes that make this office a place staff can be proud of, while providing a positive service experience.

Q: How many team members do you have in your office?
A: Fully staffed, our office has 80 team members and 3 interns. One high school intern throughout the year, and two college interns during the summer.

Q: What are some successes that you have had during your time as treasurer?
A: In 2021, appointments waited over an hour and walk-ins waited up to four hours to be served. The huge success of decreasing wait times has been achieved by improved training, adding staff, reducing attrition, and requiring appointments. Customers with appointments are now served within 5 minutes of arrival, and walk-ins wait on average, 23 minutes.

Customer service is important to me. Since becoming Treasurer, customer satisfaction surveys have been implemented. This allows customers to share feedback about their experience with our employees. Our in-person and phone scores combined for FY26 was 90%. Our goal for FY27 is to increase this score to 92%.

Educating the public about our office and removing worry about our office is a goal.  We ensure citizens are aware of our services and what documents are required to complete their transaction.  Everyone feels welcomed, and will be treated with respect. Our office takes pride in providing a friendly and efficient service experience. My staff and I regularly connect with residents face-to-face at senior centers, neighborhood associations, local festivals and community events to answer their questions and educate them on the services we provide.

Q: What solutions or accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I am proud to be the first black County Treasurer in the state of Iowa.

Improving employee morale through empowerment, providing clear and open communication, welcoming feedback, implementing KAIZEN (continuous process improvement utilizing employee suggestions), and allowing fun as well as engaging opportunities through the creation of our FUN Committee has positively impacted our office. This improvement is evident in our recent employee engagement survey, which achieved an overall score of 4.5 out of 5

Q: What are your future goals for your team and your office?
A: We are working to make hybrid scheduling a reality for our office. We’ve listened closely to our team's feedback and know how much remote flexibility matters to employees. My team and I are working with Iowa DOT on requirements to make work-from-home an attainable option.

Q: What is something about you that most people don’t know?
A: I am Co-Founder and President of the non-profit Investing In My Future (IIMF). IIMF assists students and parents to prepare for life beyond high school by equipping and empowering them with tools that help them navigate post-secondary education and career pathways. We offer workshops, tours, mentorship and volunteer opportunities. Helping our youth grow and connect builds the leaders for tomorrow.

Q: What is something unique to your county?
A: Polk County is home to the State’s capitol, Des Moines. Polk County is the largest county in Iowa, with a population of 15% of the state’s residents. The Blank Park Zoo is the only accredited zoo in the state, located in Des Moines.

Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: I enjoy Soul line dancing with the Capitol City Steppers, listening to music (My favorite genre is a contemporary gospel mix of Christian R&B, hip-hop, and praise and worship), playing games and doing Sudoku daily.

Q: Tell us about your family.
A: I was born and raised in Des Moines and have lived here my whole life. My husband and I have been together for over 40 years. Together we have 6 children (two biological, four adopted). We are absolutely loving this new era of being grandparents to four grandchildren (two biological, two adopted), ranging in ages 0-4.

Q: What was your favorite vacation?
A: My favorite place is anywhere with a nice, relaxing sand beach with a good adult beverage. Annually, my girlfriends and I take a girls' trip. This year, we went to Sint Maarten and St. Barts in June. These trips are always a great time to unwind and catch up.

Final Comments
It is a pleasure working alongside my fellow treasurers.

Mary L. Wells, Polk County Treasurer