Melanie Bush, Montgomery County Treasurer
Melanie Bush
Montgomery County Treasurer
Melanie Bush was elected Montgomery County Treasurer in 2018 with a goal of making the office as transparent and accountable to the voters as possible.
“I am constitutionally bound to be the voters’ window to their tax dollars,” she says. “I take that duty very seriously.”
Melanie is deeply committed to serving her community. Before she was elected as the County Treasurer, Melanie served as an elected Trustee for the Conroe Independent School District, where she served as the Secretary and President of the Board of Trustees.
Melanie has also served as the President and Lead Mentor for the Executive Women’s Alliance, mentoring high-risk young women in high school, as well as a Power Mentor for the Montgomery County Association of Business Women. She and her family are actively involved in the youth and children’s ministries at Hope Church Montgomery.
She took a moment to answer some of our questions about the function of the Treasurer’s office and her goals for the future as she approaches her sixth year in office as of January 2024.
What does the County Treasurer’s Office do?
The County Treasurer of Montgomery County is tasked by the Texas Constitution as the Chief Custodian of County Finance. The basic duties of County Treasurer include, but are not limited to, receiving, investing, keeping and accounting, paying, applying, and disbursing all monies belonging to the County from whatever source derived, according to law.
The County Treasurer preserves the system of checks and balances within the financial administration of County finances. Additional duties include those assigned by Commissioners Court to keep financial matters under a position independently elected by the voters.
What are your priorities for the Treasurer’s Office?
I’m especially focused on transparency in county finance. To this end, I revamped my website to make it more user friendly, changed the format of reports, and added reports previously not included. Additionally, I am available to speak with all residents regarding their questions, not just those who align with my political views.
My office was integral in implementing the new County Finance System. We worked tirelessly to make it the best possible, despite many challenges. We have become a completely paperless office, which was huge for an office with paper records dating back over 30 years, long past the appropriate records retention period.
What challenges does your office face?
Cyber security is the biggest challenge of anyone in the finance industry. Knowing that every payment made is valid and legitimate is of the utmost importance. Bad guys are everywhere, but with proper protocols and protections, we have been able to prevent multiple fraud attempts over the last five years, amounting to well over $5 million dollars. We will continue to provide the most proactive approach to safeguarding the taxpayers’ money.
What can residents do to help?
I would encourage residents to hold your elected officials accountable for not only our actions, but also our character while in office.
Contact Information
Melanie Bush, Montgomery County Treasurer
Phone: (936) 539-7844
Website: mocotreasurer.org
Address:
501 N Thompson Street, Suite 201
Conroe, TX 77304