Fergus County commissioners continue public hearing on proposal to merge treasurer with clerk and recorder

Fergus County commissioners on Nov. 10 continued a public hearing on a proposal to combine the county’s elected treasurer position with the clerk and recorder, saying they will gather more public comment before making a decision.

Chair opened the discussion by reminding residents the commission passed a ‘resolution of intent’ at an earlier meeting and that state timelines require at least one more public hearing before any final action. The board said the move is not immediate and that they will take more time to solicit applicants and public feedback.

Commissioners said the consolidation was prompted by staffing gaps after the incumbent treasurer retired and an appointed deputy later declined the full role. The board noted that patterns in other counties — cited during the discussion — show centralizing finance functions can allow hiring based on qualifications rather than purely on being an elected official. Commissioners also said the county’s finance department would retain key financial duties to maintain checks and balances.

Brad Hanson of the Montana Land Reliance was not involved in this item; county staff offered organizational charts showing how responsibilities would be reassigned if consolidation occurs. A staff member said the combined clerk‑recorder/clerk‑recorder‑slash‑treasurer would directly supervise staff in both offices while finance functions would continue to be handled by the county finance office.

Residents who spoke at the hearing raised concerns about outreach and service. Yvonne Bornrie questioned whether the county had sufficiently advertised the treasurer vacancy beyond local notices and national job boards; she urged broader recruitment. Shannon Rockman, a resident who later addressed non‑agenda items, said she worries consolidation could lead to more electronic processes and reduced in‑person customer service: “I’d rather talk to a person than try and poke an electronic device for a five‑minute task,” she said.

Commissioners and staff described steps to mitigate transition risk, including cross‑training deputies and reliance on written standard operating procedures. County finance staff said the finance office provides an electronic audit trail and that auditors and the state finance director have been consulted as part of the review.

The commission did not close the public hearing and voted to table Resolution 22‑20‑25 (the consolidation resolution) so the board can hold at least one more public meeting and gather additional comment. The next hearing date on the matter was listed for Nov. 19 at 5:15 p.m.

What happens next: The commission has left the hearing open to solicit further public input and prospective applicants; commissioners said they will reconvene the discussion at a future meeting and make a determination at that time.