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Kane Co. circuit court clerk puts son on payroll

Kane County Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hartwell has hired his son for a $9-an-hour deputy clerk's post - a job the senior Hartwell says no one else wanted.

Hartwell, who was recently elected chairman of the Kane County Republican Party, hired David Hartwell on June 23 as a deputy clerk. He also works as a math teacher and baseball coach at Highland High School in Highland, Arkansas.

The younger Hartwell, who is in his early 20s, is staying in Elgin for the summer school break.

Tom Hartwell said the job is part-time, seasonal work that involves scanning paper documents so they can be used in electronic form.

"One of our other employees had signed up for the position," he explained. "But when a full-time position opened up, they got it. We had 285 hours for this scanning project left over. It's real difficult to hire somebody for only 285 hours. David is qualified for the position for which he was hired."

Based on the seasonal pay rate, David Hartwell will make $2,565 for the remaining duration of his employment. Seasonal employees do not receive health or pension benefits.

Members of the Kane County Board's Human Services committee approved the hiring report with David Hartwell's name without comment Wednesday. The county board sets the budget for Hartwell's office. But Hartwell, as an elected official, has the freedom to spend that budget any way he wishes, including hiring.

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