It was bad enough when local news reported that longtime Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Joe Holland hasn’t been to his office in 18 months, and didn’t show up in person for the recent budget workshops at the Board of Supervisors. It got worse when, last week, he didn’t show up remotely or in person to present the elections update that was on the agenda, and that is his responsibility.
We have voted this person into office five times, and he is asking us to vote him in a sixth time. An aging elected official who isn’t showing up and doing the work isn’t what we need or deserve. He’s completely absent from the daily work of his very important department, and not performing one of the basic functions of a department head — reporting on the status of the programs he is supposed to oversee. This is unacceptable.
Fortunately, we have a choice this time, someone who is both competent and committed to doing the work. Melinda Greene, his Chief Deputy for 12 years, has been doing all the in-office work he has not (and presumably other parts of the job as well). She’s certified in every area covered by this department — which handles our property records and taxes, and our elections. She’s working with the other deputies, supervising their programs to make sure that we are getting the services we need, updating IT and systems, and serving the community.
Twenty-four years in the job is a long time. If Mr. Holland isn’t up to the task, he should step aside, especially since there is a highly qualified person ready and eager to take it on.
