Champaign County Board Proposal Would Ask Voters if Auditor Should be Appointed, not Elected

A March 22nd News-Gazette article reported that Champaign County Auditor Tony Fabri is frequently absent from work, according to office phone records. Now, the Champaign County Board will consider putting a referendum on the ballot asking voters if they want to switch the auditor's post from elected to appointed.

Republican County Board member Al Nudo says the controversy over Fabri's apparent high absentee rate provides an opportunity to consider whether appointing the auditor might provide more accountability and professionalism than elections. But at Thursday's County Board meeting, Democrat Carol Ammons said the proposal coming so quickly after the News-Gazette article looked more like a witch-hunt to her.

"If we're going to look at actual strategic changes to the county", said Ammons, "we look at the auditor, we look at the recorder, we look at all of the non-constitutional offices, and we consider them alike."

Fabri is also Champaign County's Democratic Chairman. Nudo says he's open to discussing the recorder's and coroner's offices, which are held by Republicans. But Democrat Steve Beckett told the County Board Fabri's poor work attendance as measured by his office phone calls is a valid reason for reviewing the auditor's office alone.

"I can't ignore what I read this past weekend", said Beckett. "And it's not a witch-hunt if there's a witch".

Fabri could not be reached for comment Thursday night. According to the News-Gazette, he says office phone use is not a fair measure of his attendance, because he often uses his own cell phone at his desk, to avoid using county phones for political work.

Nudo's proposal now goes to the County Board Policy and Administrative Structure committees, which may take their time in considering it. A referendum on the auditor's office wouldn't show up on the Champaign County ballot until 2010, and any change wouldn't take effect until 2012, after Fabri's current term is over.