Long-serving clerk announces retirement; clerk and election offices present modest budget changes

During the Budget Committee session the clerk announced she will retire Dec. 1 after decades of county service and presented her office’s 2027 budget and staffing proposals.

The departing clerk (identified in the record later as Nancy) said the office is asking for higher office-supply and official‑meeting lines to cover transition costs and new stationery for incoming leadership. She requested reclassifying a bookkeeping supervisor from level 10 to level 11 to reflect duties that include bank signing authority and to task that employee with documenting office processes to ease future transitions.

Election-board staff reported no programmatic expansion but outlined shifts between office- and computer-supply lines, a need to buy ballot paper because the clerk’s signature must appear on ballots, a licensing figure reduced to $45,000 based on vendor quotes and a contractual-services request of $13,000 (used for internet at vote centers and copier services). Staff explained vendor roles: RBM handles ballot coding and tabulation support while a licensing vendor (No Inc.) provides required software licensing.

Committee members and staff discussed whether county funds could cover clerks’ shirts currently paid out of pocket and whether ballot-paper purchases require special appropriation. Records staff also noted a potential use of 4D (child-support incentive) funds to scan child-support records and microfilm; they will return with vendor quotes and appropriation guidance.