Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved Administrator Tom Jensen as temporary recorder for signature purposes until a new recorder is appointed. 

Longtime Recorder Kelly Callahan retired last week after serving in the position since 2000. 

Interviews with candidates  for the position were slated for after the commissioner meeting. 

The recorder position — and the position of auditor-treasurer — for many years had been elected positions but more recently became appointed, taking the job out of the voters’ hands, First District Commissioner Brad Edwin said. 

Edwin at the end of the meeting questioned why a new recorder was not already in place since the board had accepted Callahan’s resignation at the beginning of February. 

He asked what had been in the works since Callahan’s resignation was first announced, and noted that now that Callahan is finished, the county is behind the eight-ball and Jensen has to take on the responsibilities. 

He said there should have been discussions when Callahan initially gave his resignation. 

Edwin said staff in the Recorder’s Office were also concerned about what was happening. 

He said similar things are happening in the assessor’s office, with fewer staff and current staff taking on more duties. 

Look to albertleatribune.com for more from Tuesday’s meeting.