Hulten Unanimously Appointed Next Champaign County Clerk

Gordy Hulten is officially in place to succeed Mark Shelden to the office of Champaign County Clerk.

The County Board Tuesday unanimously approved the Republican's appointment in a brief 30-minute meeting. It comes eight days after County GOP Precinct Committee-men chose him for the job. Shelden is leaving the clerk's office to work for Congressman Tim Johnson (R-Urbana). Hulten will start the new job January 5th, and will step down from the Champaign City Council the night before.

The Champaign County Board heard briefly Tuesday from State's Attorney Julia Reitz, who said state statues did not require the appointment of a temporary County Clerk before naming a permanent one. Hulten said he is glad to be taking the job free of those concerns.

"Everybody wanted to make sure that everything that we did tonight was both the most efficient way to do things, so that services provided to county taxpayers wouldn't be jeopardized in any way, and also make sure that everything was done in a legally appropriate way, so there was never any question that that was done." said Hulten, who noted that he is quickly getting acquainted with the clerk's office. "I've spent probably 8 or 10 hours total in the office since the Republican Party voted last week, so Mark (Shelden) is helping me get up to speed as soon as possible."

Hulten also plans to leave his sales and marketing job with MSA Professional Services on January 4. He will oversee his first primary in February, when recent Urbana City Council appointee Eric Jakobsson faces a challenge from Brian Dolinar in Ward 2. Hulten said working with three precincts will help him get his feet wet in the new job.

A longtime blogger, Hulten oversaw the websites Illini Pundit and Champaign Pundit. Shelden has maintained a blog as well from the County Clerk's office, but Hulten said he has a lot to learn before he can generate a blog in his new job.