Perhaps many of you remember the case of an appointed clerk/treasurer just down the road in the city of Tower. The appointed clerk/treasurer had the support of the city council (even though the council was aware of the problems) which extended the case for four years until new council members were elected and cleaned up the mess. Had she been elected, “the people” could have shortened her employment and legal case and saved the people a good deal of money. The city council and township supervisors are ordinary people with no special skills to hire and fire employees than the general electorate has.
An elected clerk or treasurer has some pragmatic advantages over an appointed clerk or treasurer. Electing a town clerk or treasurer avoids the cronyism or “politics” of being selected by supervisors. Futhermore, an elected clerk and treasurer have a sensitive role in the administration of town meetings that would be ill-served by being beholden to the board of supervisors as an appointed clerk and treasurer would be.  Also, appointed employees, after six months on the job, should only be removed “with cause,” requiring proper personnel management skills on the part of the supervisors. An elected clerk or treasurer can be removed from office by the people at the next election for any reason.
Elected clerks and treasurers have served this township for over 45 years now and all have been citizens of our town with “skin in the game.” Appointed clerks and treasurers can be from anywhere and are not concerned about conserving your tax dollars.  The “town” people have decided on Option B twice in the last five years, both by two-to-one votes against. There is no valid reason to take this responsibility and “RIGHT to VOTE” away from the people. The people’s power should never ever be taken from the hands of the “MANY” and placed in the hands of the “FEW.”
JoAnn Bassing
Greenwood Township