For Linn County Recorder: McCalmant

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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Should the Linn County Recorder's Office even exist?

Paul Pelletier says no. He claims that recorder tasks could be absorbed by the auditor and treasurer's offices, and save more than

$1 million. State law requires county voters to approve closing a Recorder's Office.

Pelletier, who has experience in fundraising and management, is challenger for Linn recorder. He cited Woodbury County as one example of where Recorder Office changes were made. Woodbury did eliminate the recorder position and a deputy recorder job in the mid-1990s, but the office stayed open under the county auditor's oversight. After some initial savings, budget impact was nil, officials there told us.

We urge Pelletier to pursue a referendum on his proposal. Provide voters with more verification on how it would provide permanent, long-term savings with no loss of service.

For now, we'd stick with incumbent Joan McCalmant. She's performed ably and has helped lead initiatives such as the statewide electronic portal for real estate documents. She plans more Web-based services to reduce costs and improve speed for users. She should keep finding ways to improve service and efficiency as long as the office exists.