McLean County Board Chairman Matt Sorensen said the office of the recorder is important and it has to be done well. (Eric Stock/WJBC)

BLOOMINGTON - McLean County Board Chairman Matt Sorensen said he always wants to look over money saving opportunities for McLean County, but isn't necessarily backing a referendum on next week's ballot to eliminate the recorder position and fold the office into the county clerk.

Sorensen said he can't image the risk to McLean County land records if the office didn't run smoothly.

"And, I'm not suggesting that it wouldn't if it were combined, but the idea that you have to have somebody very awake, and very at the wheel, and very focused on those permanent McLean County land records is pretty important," Sorensen said.

This isn't the first time the proposal has come up. Sorensen said about 14 years ago the proposal came up and before that, it was turned down by voters in the early 1990's.

Sorensen said the argument that several other counties in Illinois have chosen to combine the office of recorder and county clerk is inaccurate.

"When the new constitution came in, there was actually a population threshold for counties that would have a separate recorder's office versus counties that would have a combined recorder's office," Sorensen said. "And, at that time there were only in the range of 20ish counties that met the population threshold that ever had separated offices."

Sorensen said county administration found if the office is folded, it would save between $45,000 and $85,000. He said a management person would have to be added to the county clerk's office if the recorder's duties are added.

Stephanie Pawlowski can be reached at Stephanie.Pawlowski@Cumulus.com.