In 1959, Chevrolet created the El Camino. I've always been fascinated with the El Camino because I never knew if it was a car or a truck. Most people think it’s a car, but UDOT considers it a truck. It’s not something I would call “sexy.” Then again, I’ve called stranger things “sexy.”
The office of Clerk/Auditor is kind of like a governmental El Camino: is it a clerk or an auditor? The answer? It’s both, and both positions are very important. The Clerk/Auditor basically wears two hats: one for all things financial (from auditing to managing the Purchasing Department), and one for all things related to elections and voting.
So what characteristics should you look for in a Clerk/Auditor? Like the El Camino, you want someone who has proven that they can do more than one thing well, even if they might look a little funny.
For an Auditor – Look for accounting-related education. I have a Bachelors and a Masters of Accounting.
Look for Audit-related certifications. If you don’t think certifications are important, think about the last time your child broke an arm or was really sick. Would you have taken them to someone not certified as a doctor? You want someone with third-party certification that says they can do the job they say they can do. I have had my CPA license for over 13 years, and have been a Certified Information Systems Auditor for about the same time. This is important because of the county’s increased reliance on computer systems.
Weber County is a big organization, with a $100 million budget. In a budget that big, money can easily disappear. You want someone with experience in big organizations. I worked for 7 years for the world’s largest CPA firm, PriceWaterhouseCoopers. I had many clients you might have heard of such as Disney, Kraft Foods, and the California Institute of Technology. These clients have multi-billion dollar revenues.
On the flip side, though, I’m not a corporate big wig – I’ve also worked for small companies, so I know the importance of being hands-on and involved. I was CFO of a company with $1 million in annual sales, and I helped my son start a candy machine business and my daughter a rabbit-raising business and, both of which were profitable, if you don’t count dad’s time and labor.
Now, on the Clerk side, you want a Clerk who is personable and approachable. Believe it or not, they do exist. They just don't come out of their caves very often.
Look for someone who is involved and who cares about their local community. I’ve served on Farr West City’s Planning commission, the GOP State Audit Committee, and the county GOP for several years. I recently had a letter to the Standard Examiner published regarding the so-called Fair Boundaries and Ethics initiatives.
For perhaps the most important characteristic in a County Clerk, do you want the person responsible for voter issues to share the philosophy of our Founding Fathers regarding the right of the citizens to vote, and the sacred duty of the government to protect that right? I love our Constitution. I’ve studied it. I’ve written articles about it. I commit to staying loyal to constitutional principles as your Clerk/Auditor.
Why do I want to do this? Harold Kushner wrote, "Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, or power. Our souls are hungry for meaning, … to live so that …the world will be at least a little bit different for our having passed through it." I want to help our county be a little bit different, a little bit better. And I need your help and your vote.
So when you're at the ballot box or electronic polling station, and you see the political El Camino position of Clerk/Auditor, remember how the Clerk/Auditor holds county departments fiscally accountable and safeguards the elections process. And then vote for Ricky Hatch.
Thank you.
