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New law lets county appoint instead of elect recorder

By Sara StrongLegislation specific to Rock County (House File 317) was passed last week, making it possible for the county to remove the recorder position from ballots.Rock County requested the legislation and next week will discuss whether to accept or decline the legislation. Even if it is accepted, the county has to host a public hearing. Citizens can also get the change reversed by petition to get it on the ballot.Rock County Commissioners have worked for a few years to get the position changed from elected to appointed. They said the position requires a detail-oriented person who will be accountable for the county’s records. As it stands, anyone can run for office, and could get elected without proving to be qualified.As many as 25 counties in the state have made the same change. Current Recorder Jere Ohme said he thinks the change would be good for the county, and he wrote a letter of support for the legislation.The county’s first attempts to make the position appointed rather than elected met with objection mostly because it was at the same time the auditor-treasurer’s position was changing to appointed.Those objecting to it said they feared that county workers wouldn’t be as accountable to the entire public, and would instead be most loyal to those who gave them their jobs.Commissioner Bob Jarchow has been a vocal advocate of the change, but said he isn’t confident the change will even get through the next step of the board.

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