Letter to the editor: Recorder’s deputy deserved better treatment

Twenty-seven seconds was all it took to increase the special deputy from a grade 4 to an 8 (this is unheard of) with a 34.72 percent increase of $675.17 per month.

Details never mentioned at the July 19 Stutsman County Commission meeting: there were no questions asked of the interim recorder of qualification, justification or consideration of other county employees. This suggests either the commissioners didn’t realize the consequences of their action or they were fully aware, having worked the details outside the commission room. Which is it, commissioners?

I began working in the Register of Deeds Office (now Recorder’s Office) in 1987. The chain of command in the Recorder’s Office has been county recorder, recorder’s deputy, and then special deputy. In January 2010, Stutsman County’s chief operating officer asked me to begin training the recorder’s deputy for my duties so she would be familiar with them. I began training her for my department head duties; she did very well and caught on quickly. The recorder’s deputy had earned her first degree in executive administration with emphasis in legal in 2006 and will have earned her four-year degree in business management this September.

This information I presented to the commissioners in my formal retirement letter in February 2011, at which time, I recommended they consider her to fill the position as the next county recorder. As people are aware by now, that simply didn’t happen. Not a single commissioner asked me any questions regarding either of my deputies, whether they would be good replacements for my position.

I don’t agree with the commissioners making recorder’s deputy and special deputy equals for one office. Someone needs to be in charge when the department head is out of the office. What happens if the two deputies don’t agree? You’re opening a can of worms.

What happened to the several motions by the commissioners to advertise for the treasurer and recorder’s positions, which by themselves are full-time jobs? Behind closed doors again somebody decided to hire an interim treasurer and recorder and bring the request to the commissioners without any discussion. While the interim recorder and special deputy enjoy a steep pay increase, the recorder’s deputy is expected to train them both, without as much as an extra dime for her changing duties. And since when would a deputy be training a department head? This just isn’t right. This is a fine mess our county has.

I thoroughly enjoyed working for the people of Stutsman County, providing the best service I could because I cared about the people.

Taxpayers have the right to know what’s happening with their tax dollars and unjust treatment of county employees.

Karen Samek

Jamestown

Tags: opinion, letters, county