The Brown County Board of Commissioners will be taking up the idea of converting the county’s Auditor-Treasurer position from an elected position to an appointed position.

This is a fairly common step taken by counties around the state. About half the counties in Minnesota have changed these positions from elected to appointed.

There is a good argument for doing this. The duties of the auditor-treasurer are many and varied, and have become increasingly technical and demanding. It’s the kind of job that calls for a particular set of skills, and frankly, a popular vote may not be the best way to judge who has those skills.

The voters of Brown County have been very fortunate with the office holders in the past. Our current auditor-treasurer, Jean Prochniak, worked in the office for years before being elected. She is now preparing to retire and this presents a prime opportunity for the county to consider a change in the selection process.

If the board decides this is the way to go, it will pass a resolution, and the question will be placed on the ballot as a referendum.

There will be ample time to weigh the decision before the next election.