The Legislative Rules and Government Operations Committee on Wednesday voted to create and fund a senior legal recording clerk position in the county clerk’s office to establish a succession path for the principal legal recording clerk.

County Clerk (unnamed) told the committee the senior legal recording clerk role was created in the 2025 budget but had not been funded during the budget process. "The senior legal recording clerk position will be funded in place of the legal recording clerk," the County Clerk said, adding the position is needed because "currently there's no succession plan to principal legal recording clerk, if they want to retire in the future." The clerk said funding for the position this year will come "from unfilled positions in the budget."

The clerk described the current minimum qualification for principal legal recording clerk: a candidate must be a current employee of the office and have held permanent competitive status for two years as a senior legal recording clerk, and said the county currently lacks that senior position. Committee members asked whether the role would remain in the pay chart if unfunded; the clerk responded it would be "left in there but unfunded." Committee chair asked whether the transfer of dollars would require action by the finance office; the clerk said the funds are already in the budget and would be transferred appropriately.

Committee member Frank moved to bring the item forward and Mr. Mayday seconded. The committee then voted to create and fund the position; members signified approval by voice vote and the chair declared the motion carried. The committee discussed leaving other organizational questions for the regular budget process.

The action creates a funded senior legal recording clerk slot intended to allow promotion into the principal legal recording clerk role in the future; committee members said remaining organizational decisions will be handled during next budget deliberations.

The committee immediately moved on to the Board of Elections agenda after the vote.