Commissioners move to terminate deputy clerk after performance concerns, vote carried

The Benson County Board of Commissioners voted to terminate the county deputy clerk — a county employee who also provides contract nursing services — after reviewing written complaints, a district-health review and reliance on outside staff to complete court tasks. Commissioner (S3) summarized the concerns and read portions of the employee’s written communication to the board.

Commissioner (S3) recited items flagged in reviews: repeated errors and incomplete client notes, frequent questions about previously taught tasks, bringing children to work, unapproved time-off, and shifting work to the clerk’s office. Commissioner (S3) also stated the county had received roughly 21 hours per week of Ramsey County staff time assisting local operations and noted the deputy’s written line that "I feel undervalued, unsupported, and stretched beyond reasonable limits," which the commissioner read from the employee’s emailed correspondence. After discussion and a recorded motion, the board voted by voice to terminate the position; commissioners directed that a written notice on Benson County letterhead be hand-delivered and discussed an effective date at the end of the month or Friday the 26th.

The board also discussed chain-of-command concerns: in the absence of an appointed or elected Clerk of Court, commissioners said they retain authority over county employees and will coordinate notice and any follow-up with the county attorney and the health department.