Departure leaves courthouse scrambling

State's Attorney Robin Huseby and Barnes County Commissioners are at a loss as to how to proceed since County Recorder Janna Zaun left her office vacant on Monday.

County Auditor Ed McGough tried to contact Zaun, but she had disconnected her phone. Attempts by Huseby and Commissioners to see her in person have failed. The Times-Record has also been unable to reach Zaun for comment.

Zaun did give a telephone interview to a television station accusing County Commissioners of failing to plan for the absences of her staff members and Zaun.

She claimed the County Commissioners' "inadequacies" were to blame for the problems.

That same broadcast indicated a meeting was going to be held between Zaun and County Commissioners. However, such a meeting would have to be announced three days prior in order to meet state law.

When contacted Friday morning by the Times-Record, Huseby said no meeting was going to be held, although she indicated there may be a meeting with Zaun and one commissioner.

Huseby had two letters delivered to Zaun's home on Monday evening and Tuesday. In the letters, Huseby, on behalf of the County Commission, asked Zaun to either submit her resignation, or give Commissioners a clear indication of how she intends to staff her office during her absence. The letters, though received, have not been answered.

"We need to communicate with her and get her thoughts on the way she wants to go," Huseby said.

Zaun left work last Friday afternoon, after she gave McGough a note from her doctor stating she needed to take four weeks off from work. However, her part time employee graduated from Valley City State University last week and has since moved to Minneapolis, and full time employee, Kerstin Ertelt, had a baby on May 11.

Ertelt handled business while Zaun took five weeks of vacation; however, Zaun gave the County Commission no indication she intended to take four weeks medical leave during the time both her employees would be gone.

"What makes me angry about this is that (Zaun) has known for months her staff would be leaving." Huseby said. Even though Zaun had received the Commission's approval to proceed with hiring a new employee, she didn't do so.

Ertelt came back to work Wednesday, with her baby, to sort through this week's unopened mail.

Tax Director BJ Edwardson and Betty Koslofsky from the tax office, and MIS director Jason Theil, were deputized after Tuesday's meeting of the County Commission. Ertelt is currently training them on the processes of filing and recording deeds, liens, loans, and other county and public business.

Getting the Recorder's Office up and running was the Commission's main objective. Now that staff from other offices are there, they are considering what to do next.