Corning voters may decide fate of city clerk, treasurer positions

Apr. 16—Historically the office of city clerk and city treasurer in Corning has been an elected position, however, that may change. On April 9, the City Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution requesting a measure be put before Corning voters on the Nov. 5 general election ballot to change the offices of city clerk and treasurer from elected positions to appointed/hired positions.

City Manager Brant Mesker said the resolution is the first step in putting the measure on the ballot. If the measure passes, the positions would become appointed, or hired, offices; if voters don't approve, the positions would remain elective.

According to the city, the ballot measure would be worded as follows — with voters having the choice of "yes" and "no" to each question: "Shall the offices of the City Clerk and City Treasurer be appointive?"

With the City Council approving the resolution, the ballot measure will be submitted to the Tehama County Clerk/Registrar of Voters to be placed on the ballot and the city attorney will prepare and submit an impartial analysis of the measure that will be provided to the town's registered voters.

If the measure passes, the two positions will no longer be elective offices, but positions appointed by the city council as city employees instead.

Currently, the position of city clerk is held by Lisa Linnet as an elected official, and the position of treasurer is held by Laura Calkins as an elected official. Linnet has held the position since 2008, and Calkins 2015. Both city clerk and treasurer are 4-year terms open for re-election on November's ballot.

Mesker said the position of city clerk has "evolved significantly over the years."

"The city clerk must possess a number of very specific skills and have knowledge and understanding of the law in order to fully perform the responsibilities of the position. The clerk serves as an elections official in the context of administering federal, state and local procedures through which government representatives are selected," he added.

In addition, the position is responsible for taking a lead role in agenda preparation, posting notices and agendas, records the decisions of the city council, acts as records manager in the oversight of the preservation and protection of public records, according to city documents.

"This requires knowledge of the California Public Records Act and records retention laws," Mesker said.

City treasurer's responsibilities can be described as fairly comprehensive as effective financial management requires professional skills and expertise in areas such as electronic banking, municipal fund accounting, government reporting requirements, investment regulations and debt management, according to the city manager.

If the proposed ballot measure is approved by voters, the positions would be appointed by the city council when the first opportunity to do so becomes available — either at the expiration of the term of office for both offices, or upon any vacancy in each office. In addition, unlike the requirement that the elected city clerk or treasurer must live within city limits, the appointed positions would not be required to do so.

"One advantage to this is that this will widen the pool of applicants because non-residents could be appointed," Mesker said.

Former Corning mayor and city councilman Ross Turner said he is concerned about the continued erosion of salaried city employees not living within the city and the possibility of a lack of loyalty to the community and its residents, and its history.

He added an additional concern is the lack of transparency by the city about the additional cost of salaries and benefits of appointed city clerk and treasurer positions if the proposed measure is approved by voters.