County May Pick New Clerk This Week

Item: Big shoes to fill : Commissioners may select new clerk by Dec. 20 /Jeff Selle, Coeur d’Alene Press

More Info: Kootenai County commissioners have set a meeting to fill the county clerk’s position on Friday if the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee is able to nominate three people for the position. Idaho law requires the central committee to nominate three qualified people for the position within 15 days of the vacancy. The county commissioners have 15 days after that to select one of the three nominees. If the central committee cannot nominate three candidates within the 15-day time period, the county commissioners will have five days after that to appoint someone to fill the vacant seat. Former County Clerk Cliff Hayes passed away on Thursday, so the county commissioners discussed the process they will use to fill the vacancy on Friday.

Question: What in the world is the rush to pick a new county clerk? Are we to expect that the county commissioners can do the proper vetting for a new clerk within hours after the Tea Party dominated Republican Central Committee provides a list of three names? Proper respect her calls for the county to wait until proper respects are paid to the late County Clerk Cliff Hayes. Thoughts?