Lake Co. clerk's hires become an issue on YouTube

The issue of family hiring in the race for Lake County circuit court clerk has gone musical.

A YouTube video poking fun at incumbent clerk Sally D. Coffelt has received more than 1,300 views since it posted last week. The two-minute-long clip chides Coffelt for putting family members on her payroll and makes fun of what opponents believe is an outdated computer system.

"I haven't seen it," said Coffelt, a Republican, on Tuesday. "I don't watch YouTube but friends of mine say it's pretty stupid."

Democratic challenger Cynthia Pruim Haran said she's not the creator or director of the piece, but enjoyed seeing it.

"I think it's quite humorous," she said. "It didn't come from my campaign. It was done by volunteers."

It's not the first time Coffelt, 60, has been criticized for having relatives working for her during her 28 years in office. But Haran, 37, has made it one of her top campaign issues.

"People are losing jobs or having their pay cut, but she's making sure that her family is getting taken care of," Haran said. "It's completely inappropriate."

There are currently five members of Coffelt's family on staff including nieces, nephews, cousins and her brother, Tim Deadrick, who was hired in 2003 as the director of financial operations in the clerk's office and is paid $74,000 a year.

"Qualified people are qualified people," Coffelt said. "Tim was the right person for the job. He has an extensive career in banking and was the best choice at that time."

Lake County has no rules prohibiting one family member from hiring another, according to a spokesman in the human resources department.

Still, Haran says that if she is elected on Nov. 4, she would promise to never hire a relative, under any circumstances.

"Using your elected position to serve your family is not acceptable," she said. "I don't think it's fair to the voters."

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