SANGAMON COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - The current Springfield City Clerk and candidate for Sangamon County Recorder announced he is proposing the merger of the County Recorder position with the County Clerk’s office.
Frank Lesko said he believes it would make county government "more accountable, efficient, and responsive to taxpayers."
Lesko said merging the two offices will reduce bureaucracy and save more than a quarter million dollars in taxpayer money every year, right away. He said the proposal would save as much as $400,000 every year, as current employees retire, and positions are not filled.
"To achieve these savings, no current county employees will lose their jobs," Lesko said.
To merge the two offices, Sangamon County would have to approve the change via a countywide referendum.
If elected as County Recorder, Lesko said he will publicly propose a plan to consolidate the office via voter referendum in November 2026.
Lesko has served as the Springfield City Clerk since 2015.
In Illinois, the position of County Recorder is elective in counties with a population of 60,000 or more. According to the Secretary of State, County Clerks have served as ex officio County Recorders, since 1963, in counties with populations below 60,000 or more.
Some Illinois counties have consolidated the duties of the County Recorder within the County Clerk, including Champaign County in 2022.
“My number one job as a public official is to find ways to deliver better services for taxpayers without raising costs,” said Lesko. “I’ve done that as City Clerk, and I will do that as County Recorder. Merging the County Recorder office with the County Clerk will make county government more accountable, reduce county overhead, and will save taxpayer money that can be used for critical needs in other areas. Other counties have done it successfully, and as County Recorder, I will lead the effort to get it done in Sangamon County.”
WAND News reached out to current Sangamon County Recorder Josh Langfelder who provided this statement regarding the proposal, “It is a political gimmick by an inept candidate who, by his own omission, does not know how the recorder’s office operates. This proposal would not be a savings to the taxpayer but would jeopardize the integrity and trust of property ownership.”
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