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Marshall County clerk hires part-time staff, turns past-due infractions to collections
Summary
Clerk Jenny Bennett reported hiring two part-time retirees to rebuild records management and pursue past-due infractions, turning over roughly $329,500 across about 1,900 cases and receiving initial payments as the county begins a slow collections effort.
Jenny Bennett, Marshall County clerk, told the Marshall County Council she has hired two part-time employees to restore records management and to pursue past-due collections.
Bennett said the records position was filled by a retired records clerk who has been helping reorganize paper, microfilm and digital holdings and to document processes. "She has so much knowledge that had walked out the door that we didn't have a a handle on," Bennett said. She said the returning clerk works part time and that the office is documenting procedures so future staff can follow them.
Bennett also said she hired a part-time deputy to pursue past-due infractions. "From April 28 to June 6, we've turned over past due infractions from 2016 to 2023 — that's 8 years, totaling around $329,500, and that's approximately 1,900 past-due violations," she reported. Bennett said the office had received 22 payments totaling $3,600 so far and had paid out $1,092 in staffing costs, leaving a net recovery to date of about $2,500.
The clerk said the collection effort began with infractions because they require less paperwork and allow the office to use tools such as driver's-license suspension. She described criminal cases, restitution and probation fees as the next phase and said she is coordinating with county attorney Sarisi and the State Board of Accounts on procedures. "We are working on getting to that point," Bennett said.
Council members praised the hires and the start of collections. Council member Jim Masterson said he was glad someone was pursuing outstanding monies; another member thanked Bennett for taking the initiative. Bennett told the council that collections will be slow because many infraction amounts average about $170.
The report described records work as ongoing and procedural: when the previous records clerk retired in 2020 the department lost institutional knowledge and had not been cross-trained. Bennett said the returning part-time clerk is documenting retention and destruction schedules and that the office averages about 60 public-records requests per month.
Bennett asked the council only for the ability to continue the two part-time positions; there was no separate recorded vote on new funding in the transcript. The council did not take a separate formal vote in the meeting minutes recorded for expanding the clerk's staff beyond earlier approvals Bennett referenced.
The clerk said the office will next work with the county attorney to address criminal-case collections and restitution and will follow state guidance on procedural requirements.
