Sangamon Board Approves of Referendum For Consolidation of Clerk & Recorder’s Offices; Fail to Pass Recall Referendum

By Benjamin Cox on January 14, 2025 at 9:11am

The Sangamon County Board approved a measure to place a referendum on the ballot this April to consolidate two county offices.

Capital City Now reports that the board approved a measure to consolidate the county clerk and recorder’s offices into one. The move follows Recorder Frank Lesko’s campaign pledge to eliminate the office and merge its duties into the county clerk’s office, a promise summarized by his slogan: “Hire me… So you can fire me.” Lesko argued the consolidation would save taxpayer dollars, and now voters will have their say in April.

A deadline to close the office by December 2026 was also approved, contingent on voter approval. The target closure date is about halfway through Lesko’s term.

The board did not opt to bring on a consulting firm for a cost analysis of the merger of the two offices.

In other Sangamon County Board action, they failed to pass a measure that would have placed a referendum on the ballot in April that would create a power to recall the county sheriff. The proposal stemmed from the murder of Sonya Massey and subsequent investigation surrounding hiring practices under former Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell. The Sonya Massey Commission unanimously voted to recommend the recall measure be placed before voters. A separate resolution to seek an opinion from the Illinois Attorney General on the legality of a recall referendum also failed.