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Josh Daniels, then-Utah County deputy clerk/auditor, speaks during a town hall meeting concerning the 2020 budget and the proposed tax increase held Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at the Utah County Health and Justice Building in Provo.

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo

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Utah County Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner speaks at the Utah County Historic Courthouse in Provo after taking the oath of office on Thursday, April 29, 2021.

Connor Richards, Daily Herald file photo

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Utah County Commissioner Bill Lee takes part in the Utah Valley Growth and Prosperity Summit at Utah Valley University on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

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Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich speaks during a public meeting in Provo on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

Connor Richards, Daily Herald file photo

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On Wednesday, the Utah County Commission voted 2-1 to officially split the Clerk/Auditor’s office into two offices.

Both positions will now be held by two elected officials instead of just one. Josh Daniels is currently in both positions.

Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner voted no — not that she was against the separating of the two offices — but against the process, or lack thereof of, on how the separation would be done.

Commissioners Tom Sakievich and Bill Lee both voted to approve. How that process will look, and how to plan it, is expected to unfold Feb. 2 of next year.

Gardner served as the Clerk/Auditor until her appointment to the commission seat vacated by former Commissioner Tanner Ainge earlier this year. She wanted to have the plan in place and the vote on Feb. 2.

Furthermore, Gardner had added an item to the agenda that was discussed at the same time, seeking the commission’s approval to have the split go to the people for a decision.

She asked that even something as simple as a poll or survey be done, but the motion never received a second.

Sakievich noted that he had been working on this issue for the past 13 months, starting prior to his election. He believes that only one additional person would be needed — the actual elected official. Everything else could be taken care of by current staff or future hiring as needed.

In the last commission meeting, the commissioners approved putting together a committee from the staff to investigate personnel, payroll, office needs and equipment needs on the issue.

As far as new personnel needs, the committee came back with three options:

• Option 1 would just put in a new auditor or clerk which would cost about $175,000 (includes benefits).
• Option 2 would add a confidential assistant for an additional $84,643.
• Option 3, which would provide a full contingency for the new office and add a deputy chief that would total about $590,000 in payroll ongoing expenses.

Ralf Barnes, Human Resources director said, “I don’t want to see someone elected without a plan.”

Gardner added, “To say it won’t cost money to split the office is a lie,”

Barnes also noted that a chief deputy, which all elected officials have in the county, is logical as the second employee rather that the suggested third employee option.

“There is time,” Barnes said. “Work this through.”

Gardner noted the Clerk/Auditor’s office is the number one provider of passports in the county, and not only do they handle marriage licenses, but they are now doing wedding ceremonies.

The Clerk/Auditor’s office was brought together in 1989 because of duty changes and a lighter workload. Now, 33 years and several thousands of new residents later, it was felt the two have enough work to be divided.

Some in the department, including Gardner, believe if it’s not broken don’t try to fix it.

“They are changing county government. This was a total discretionary call,” said Taylor Williams, Deputy Clerk/Auditor. “It’s a solution in search of a problem.” Williams is over the elections office for the department.

Lee believes the right time is now for the changes.

“It makes sense on the clerk’s side to go through the process now to be ready for the presidential election,” Lee said.

Williams and Gardner believe the election’s office is already in good shape to tackle the 2024 election.

The current approval will put a newly elected clerk or auditor on next year’s ballot, and have them ready to take over Jan. 1, 2023.

Gardner said she felt like this was similar to how Proposition 9 was done. Proposition 9, on the 2020 Ballot, called for a change in the number of county commissioners. It was proposed to move to five or seven commissioners instead of just three. Lee was against it and fought vigorously to defeat it.

The comment caused consternation from both Sakievich and Lee who rejected the notion it was anything like Proposition 9.

While Prop 9 had to go to the voters, Lee said this issue of splitting the Clerk/Auditor’s office does not.

“This does not have anything to do with Prop 9,” Sakievich said. “This office is already two separate departments. There is nothing hidden from the public.”

With the 2-1 vote, the committee will now have to come up with a plan on how the offices will divide, which employee goes where and how much it will cost to build out an office, move equipment and set up shop. That information will come Feb. 2.

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