‘She left the room better than she found it’

WARDEN — After 36 years of service to the city of Warden, Kriss Shuler spent her final city council meeting the same way she spent much of her career: helping prepare the next generation of city leaders.

During Tuesday's Warden City Council meeting, Shuler administered the oaths of office to new City Administrator Joseph Elizalde and City Clerk-Treasurer Lindsey Betts, formally turning over duties she had carried for decades as the city's clerk-treasurer and, later, city administrator.

Her final official day with the city was Oct. 28.

“It was like, I never even thought about leaving,” Shuler said in an interview. “I was just always here.”

Shuler joined the city 36 years ago as clerk-treasurer after being recruited for the position. With a background in bookkeeping and records management, she originally focused on the city's finances and public records before eventually assuming the city administrator role around 2012 or 2013.

“I've always enjoyed the financial aspect of it and the organization of the records,” Shuler said.

Over the decades, Shuler became one of Warden's most recognizable public servants, working under four mayors and several city councils while helping guide the city through infrastructure projects, growth and economic development.

Mayor Rosaelia Martinez described Shuler as a stabilizing force who helped shape city government.

“She's been a uniting force in this city,” Martinez said. “One thing I admire about Kriss is her consistency.”

Martinez said Shuler's willingness to listen, even during difficult conversations, earned the trust of residents.

“Even if they didn't get the answer they wanted, they felt heard,” Martinez said. “That's an important thing.”

Council member Brittany Pittman said Shuler's leadership helped put the city in a strong position.

“I don't think we'd be in the great position we're in if we hadn't had her at the helm,” Pittman said.

Council member Omar Pruneda said Shuler often went beyond what was expected of her.

“You don't know what you have until it's gone,” Pruneda said. “Once you get to work with her, you get to see her dedication, her input, the difference she makes in town.”

Throughout the meeting and these conversations, people repeatedly returned to one theme: Shuler's institutional knowledge.

For years, she simultaneously managed responsibilities that in many communities are divided among multiple employees. Following her retirement, Warden city officials split her former duties into multiple positions, including hiring Betts as clerk-treasurer and Elizalde as city administrator.

Betts, who has spent the last three years training under Shuler, said her mentor's help was crucial. 

“There's just so much information and all the changes that have happened with the state and with requirements,” Betts said. “Her knowledge is just invaluable.”

Betts said one of the biggest surprises while working alongside Shuler was the sheer scope of responsibilities she handled.

“She does everything,” Betts said. “She knows everything, how the city runs. She is that go-to person.”

Elizalde, who worked alongside Shuler for the past three months while preparing to assume the city administrator role, delivered a tribute during Tuesday’s meeting.

“That's not just a career. That's a lifetime commitment, dedication and service to a community,” Elizalde said.

He credited Shuler for helping ensure a smooth transition despite the challenges of stepping away from a position she had shaped for more than three decades.

“Even while preparing to step away from something she's dedicated so much of her life to, Kriss has done everything she can to help me succeed,” Elizalde said. “She shared her knowledge, answered countless questions, offered advice and helped me navigate the responsibilities of this position.”

Shuler said mentoring Betts and Elizalde became a major focus during her final years with the city.

“I wasn't the best delegator,” she said. “So, it was a learning experience for me to transfer things.”

Still, she said both successors have made the process easier.

“Had I known that, I probably wouldn't have been so nervous about turning the ropes over to somebody,” Shuler said of the transition to Elizalde's leadership.

Looking back on her career, Shuler pointed to several accomplishments she is especially proud of, including improvements to Warden's wastewater system, street paving projects, community cleanup efforts and the purchase of the city's current City Hall building.

She also highlighted the city's efforts to expand walking paths and improve the quality of life for residents.

But Shuler said public service was always ultimately about the people.

“What has kept you motivated?” she repeated during an interview. “I felt that I had a duty here, and if I was going to come to work every day, then I needed to fulfill that duty.”

As she prepares for retirement, Shuler said she is confident in the city's future.

“I believe the city is in good hands,” she said.

For Martinez, Shuler's legacy extends beyond projects, budgets and policies.

“She left the room better than she found it,” Martinez said. “She left it filled with wisdom and caring.”

After nearly four decades of serving the community where she grew up, Shuler said the experience has been rewarding. 

“Very fulfilling,” she said. “Very humbling.”

    Warden City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Kriss Shuler (left) swears in new Warden Clerk-Treasurer Lindsey Betts Tuesday night. Betts has worked under Shuler as her assistant for the last three years.
  

    Warden City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Kriss Shuler (left) goes to hug new Warden City Administrator Joseph Elizalde (right) after completing his oath of office. Shuler spend the last three months training Elizade for the role.
  

    Both Mayor Rosaelia Martinez and the Warden City Council purchased cards and flowers for Kriss Shuler’s final meeting as Warden’s administrator/clerk-treasurer. Martinez wrote “Could say thank you a thousand times; it wouldn’t mean more than the first time. You are the best city manager God could have put in my life.”