Champaign Co. Board Members Consider Their Positions on 3 Elected Offices

A Champaign County Board Policy Committee member who called for discussion of whether the county coroner, recorder and auditor should be appointed rather than elected, now says he's leaning toward keeping at least two of them as they are.

Democrat Brendan McGinty spoke at the close of the last of three Policy Committee hearings held this week on the issue. McGinty says he supports keeping the coroner and recorder elected, but hasn't decided about the auditor. The Urbana Democrat says the auditor in Champaign County has tended to lack the specific professional skills needed for the office. Auditor Tony Fabri testified Wednesday night that his job was to fight for and defend the work done by his professional staff. But McGinty questioned whether the auditor's staff needed an elected auditor to act as their sword and shield.

"I think a county engineer, a supervisor of assessments, a county administrator, other appointed positions in the county, provide their own sword by doing their job -- provide their own shield by providing information and being experts at what they do," McGinty said.

Still, he said he was impressed by some who spoke in favor of an elected auditor at last night's hearing, including former State Senator Rick Winkel, and Urbana Mayor --- and former auditor --- Laurel Prussing.

The Policy Committee will discuss the issue again in August. The Champaign County Board could vote to put a referendum on one or more of the three offices on the 2010 ballot.