Historically and at present, the Mariemont Council Clerk and Treasurer positions are elected officials. The Mayor has an Ordinance in front of Council that would permanently consolidate those two positions and create a ‘Fiscal Officer’ that would become a Mayor’s appointee rather than an elected official. According to a former Council Member, “The current system of direct election of the Clerk and Treasurer insures that these Public Servants are not serving at the pleasure of the Mayor and are residents of Mariemont”. He goes on to say that “The Ordinance would eliminate a fiscal check & balance system between Clerk and Treasurer.” Obviously, the new Ordinance would vest added control and influence with Mayor Dan Policastro. The Clerk and Treasurer each receive about $5,000 in compensation yearly so this is not a budget issue.
Recent headlines in the Community Press read: A former elected official is taking issue with Mariemont’s new plan to combine the clerk and treasurer roles.
Resident Stan Bahler, who served as village clerk for more than 20 years, said he had concerns about the lack of discussion about merging of the clerk and treasurer roles, both elected, into a new fiscal officer role.
The ordinance, as it’s written, actually eliminates both the clerk and treasurer positions in favor of a fiscal officer, who would be appointed by the mayor. The appointee would have to be approved by a majority of council and does not have to live in the village.
Bahler pointed out this was first brought up last fall when a former council member asked why no one was running for the treasurer position. At that time, Mayor Dan Policastro said the idea of combining the clerk and treasurer roles would be discussed with the next council.
“Here it is the first council meeting, and there is an ordinance already prepared, with everything decided, and there has been no discussion,” Bahler said. “There should have been a committee meeting so people could state their views. I just think it’s the wrong way to go about making such an important change.”
Tony Borgerding, who was last elected to the clerk role in 2011, has also been serving as treasurer since December 2012 when then-Treasurer Andy Kulesza took a six-month leave of absence because he was living outside of the village. Kulesza resigned last March, and Borgerding took over both positions.
The reason behind the merge, according to the ordinance presented at the Jan. 13 council meeting, is because it has been difficult to find people “to run for the elected positions,” but Bahler said that’s “pretty weak” reasoning. “If it’s hard to find someone for one, it’s going to be harder to find someone to do both roles,” he said.
Council didn’t discuss this further at the Jan. 13 meeting, but Policastro said there would be some discussion at the ordinance’s second reading, expected at the next council meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27. Bahler said his main objection to the recommendation is the lack of discussion and the reasons given for the change. “We shouldn’t be bringing an ordinance for the first time with three new council people and I don’t know if the previous council was in on the discussion because it didn’t take place here, so it was off the books if it existed at all,” he said.
He also said it’s good to have a back up to fill in when needed and to have two people with a financial background to provide checks and balances. Other surrounding villages have different ways of handling these positions. In Terrace Park and Newtown, there is an appointed fiscal officer, and in Fairfax, there is an elected clerk-treasurer.
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