Commissioners tackle vacant elected positions in county

Lincoln County Commissioners took the first steps earlier this month towards filling elected county administrative positions left vacant.

The board passed resolutions to appoint a public administrator and signal their intent to separate the treasurer and county superintendent of schools positions during an April 2 special meeting.

County Administrator Patrick McFadden said the resolution to appoint a public administrator would allow the county to advertise for the position if need be and eventually write an appointment letter to the most qualified candidate.

County Commissioner Mark Peck (D-1) said it was a little premature to begin talking about who the county would appoint as officials still have to go through the process leading up to the appointment.

Finding someone to take the post has been a struggle for the county. County Commissioner Jerry Bennett (D-2) said that no one ran for the post in the last election. Robin Benson, county clerk and recorder, said the appointed candidate would fill the position until the next election cycle.

By the board’s April 7 regular meeting, a candidate had emerged. At that gathering, commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Jennie Lafond as public administrator.

The commissioner’s resolution of intent to separate the treasurer and county superintendent of schools positions initiates a process that would eventually lead to the separation, according to McFadden. Before commissioners can undo the 2013 decision that merged the two posts, officials will have to notice the intent and walk through other administrative steps.

Once officials have separated the positions, McFadden said commissioners would need to pass another resolution to appoint a candidate to the county superintendent post.

“There’s actually two more resolutions to go and a process in between,” said McFadden.