County wants to appoint auditor/treasurer

With little fanfare, the commissioners approved unanimously to move to appoint a new auditor/treasurer. Recent legislation gives the county board the power to fill the position by appointment; the office of auditor/treasurer has been an elected position since the formation of Carlton County. The retirement of longtime auditor/treasurer Paul Gassert has given the board the opportunity to consider this move to appoint the position.

The county must follow a specific procedure to make the change from an elected to an appointed position.

A hearing on the change is scheduled for Aug. 13, during the regular meeting of the county board. The notice of hearing must be published in the county’s legal paper (the Moose Lake Star Gazette) for two weeks, the hearing held, then — after the board approves appointing the position — the board’s decision becomes final after a 30-day window of time.

After the hearing and county board’s decision to proceed, 10 percent of the county-registered voters can request an election on the issue. The specific law concerning this action is Minnesota Statutes, Section 20, 375A.1205, Appointing County Officers, Subdivision 1.