(Spirit Lake)– A proposal to form a committee to look into the possibility of merging the Auditor and Recorder’s offices sparked controversy at today’s (Tues.) Dickinson county board of supervisors meeting. Supervisor Chairman David Gottsche and fellow supervisor Paul Johnson brought the matter to the table, with Johnson outlining the mission of the committee…(click here for comment.)
But atleast one person in the crowd didn’t think the study should involve just the two offices…(click here for comment.)
Following further discussion, the supervisors voted three-to-two in favor of forming the committee. Supervisors Mardi Allen and Pam Jordan voted no. The committee will include Arnolds Park City Administrator Ron Walker, John Adams, Chairman of the Dickinson County Republican Party; Bonnie Fokken and Dennis Perry of the Dickinson County Democratic Party; Jerry Robinson of the Okoboji city council and Judy Weipert.
Allen blasted the make-up of the committee saying atleast two members on it vocally objected to any proposal to merge the Recorder and Auditor offices when she floated a petition last summer that would have put the matter on the ballot. The petition failed to get the needed number of signatures to bring it to a vote…(click here for comment.)
Allen and several others present at this (Tues.) morning’s meeting said instead, an effort should be made to further study an efficiency improvement process known as “LEAN” that was recently presented to several supervisors and other officials.
Ann Dittsworth, who was elected county Recorder last Tuesday, was at this (Tues.) morning’s meeting but didn’t comment. The position had been vacant since last summer when longtime Recorder Jan Bortscheller retired.
