Will SLO County Board of Supervisors appoint clerk-recorder today — or drag out the process?
This afternoon, the county Board of Supervisors will discuss how to replace Tommy Gong — the clerk-recorder who resigned midway through his term in the midst of intense harassment by conservative voters convinced the 2020 election was stolen.
The California Government Code requires the board to appoint someone to serve the remainder of Gong’s term, which expires Jan. 2, 2023, but gives little guidance on how to go about doing so.
The board could advertise the vacancy, perhaps appoint a panel to screen the applicants, conduct interviews and appoint someone.
Or, it could spare itself — and the community — a lot of angst and appoint someone who already knows how to do the job.
Helen Nolan, the deputy director of the Clerk-Recorder’s Office, has been designated acting department head by County Administrator Wade Horton.
The logical step would be for the board to appoint Nolan to serve out Gong’s term.
That would also satisfy the many county residents who are imploring the board to appoint someone nonpartisan to fill the position.
“Do not further disgrace yourself by filling the position, even temporarily, with a hand-picked partisan politician,” Leigh Livick of Atascadero wrote to the board.
That was one of dozens of letters and emails urging the conservative-majority board to put partisan politics aside, including several from community leaders.
“Due to the already demonstrated sensitivity of this issue, I’m hoping the collective board will focus on helping defuse the volatile rhetoric which is emerging on this important position,” wrote former SLO Police Chief Jim Gardiner.
“The person you appoint should be known as neither a Democrat/liberal nor Republican/conservative. They should be known only as an experienced, nonpartisan elections professional with a track record of integrity,” retired SLO City Manager Ken Hampian said in a letter.
He is absolutely correct, and for that reason alone, we cannot support the appointment of one candidate who already has announced his interest in the position: attorney Stew Jenkins, who previously ran for state Assembly as a Democrat.
On top of that, anyone without recent experience in administering elections would require time to get acclimated, and that simply isn’t available now. California is facing three elections in short order: the recall election in September, followed by primary and general elections in 2022.
The three conservative members of the Board of Supervisors have the opportunity to take a step the would at least start some healing in a county that’s been politically divided like never before. We strongly urge the board to unanimously appoint Deputy Clerk-Recorder Helen Nolan to fill out Tommy Gong’s term.