County Board and the Recorder Preview

Whether or not the County Recorder's office is superfluous and its duties made part of the County Clerk's office doesn't seem like a political question. Would it be cheaper? Yes. The office is self-funded now and would be if it was happening under the Clerk's office too. There's an honest discussion to be had on whether having a separately elected head of the office is necessary or just more complications in local governance. But the seat is held by a long time Champaign County Republican Party politician and party player. These types of seats are often used by political parties to springboard careers. Each party's partisans will happily explain how they're being the rational and objective ones here.

I leave it to the reader to decide whether one side, the other, or both are playing politics. More importantly: whether it's relevant to the key question of whether they find the extra elected office necessary to ensure the Recorder honestly performs his duties, or whether holding the County Clerk accountable would be sufficient. Use the links on this page to your County Board members to let them know how you feel. From the News-Gazette today:

Round 3: Recorder’s job back on agenda
...
Tonight, the board is expected to vote on whether to put a binding question on the November ballot asking voters if the recorder’s office should be rolled into the county clerk’s by December.

That’s a change from the original proposal, which called for nixing the office in 2020 — the end of Recorder Mark Shelden’s four-year term.

Shelden, a Republican, said his office funds itself through recording fees. He added that he knows of only a couple of people who support the change.

This will mark the third time in five years that the board has considered this measure. Democrat Shana Jo Crews, who could not be reached for comment, is leading this push.

When the subject came up at a board meeting last month, Republican member Jon Rector called it “borderline ridiculous” and “totally political.”

Interim County Administrator Deb Busey said eliminating the position would save $60,000. Busey said only 13 other Illinois counties — including Vermilion — have a recorder.

The full blurb is available here. The County Board meets tonight at 6:30pm (agenda here). If you'd like to attend a County Board meeting, you can find more information on how to attend here. Probably one of the more contentious items is the referendum proposal to merge the County Recorder's office into the County Clerk's office. The current Recorder is Mark Shelden, prominent in Champaign County Republican Party politics, so there are concerns by Republicans that this is more political than reformative. The vote to put it on the ballot was delayed and discussed at the last regular County Board meeting.

UPDATE: From the News-Gazette after the vote:

In July 1968, Democrats on the Champaign County Board proposed eliminating the independent elected position of recorder of deeds.

The elimination never happened.

Exactly 50 years later, another generation of county board Democrats proposed the same thing.

And once again, it won't happen.

On Thursday night, the county board voted 15-7 against putting a question on the November ballot asking for the elimination of the office.

Five Democrats joined all 10 Republicans to ensure the status quo.

That full article is available here with some the details about cost savings versus concerns about keeping the office independent as well as some of the political and partisan realities.

UPDATE: 10/22/2019: The issue appears to be coming up again with the 2020 election. More on consolidation at a recent post here: Merging County Clerk and Recorder