Elect clerk or not? Voters may pick

Should Round Lake Beach's village clerk be elected or appointed?

That's what officials want voters to decide in a referendum question they plan to place on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The now-vacant position is elected, but Mayor Rich Hill said the clerk is mostly an administrative job. The clerk does not have any voting rights on the village board.

"Right now, the deputy clerks pick up most of the duties of a village clerk," Hill said. "So, it makes sense that we should make it an appointed administrative position instead of an elected position."

The board is expected to approve putting the referendum question on the Nov. 4 ballot during the village board meeting Monday.

Round Lake Beach has been operating without an elected clerk after Sylvia Valadez resigned the position when she was appointed to a village trustee seat.

Normally, the mayor would appoint someone to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. Hill said he will not appoint someone until after the referendum is decided.

"We'll run it in-house with the deputy clerks like we are now," he said. "I'm hoping people vote 'yes.' It's better for the community this way."

If voters shoot down the referendum, Hill said, he would appoint someone to finish out the clerk's term, which expires in April 2009. If the referendum is approved, he'll appoint a staff member as clerk.

In 2006, Vernon Hills residents voted to make the village clerk an appointed position rather than an elected office.

At the time, Vernon Hills officials said they favored the switch because the job has become more specialized and clerical in nature.

Village officials also say it was critical the clerk work closely with staff on a daily basis to prepare agendas and other official documents, and that an elected part-time person could not do that as well. A full-time employee took over the role of clerk after the election.