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Buehler adjusts to office of county clerk
Nevada Daily Mail
After just a month in his new position as the county clerk for Vernon County, Mike Buehler is still acquainting himself with the responsibilities that come with the office.
With a short staff, Buehler has had to learn his own position while also looking for other employees and training them, and at the same time juggling the county budget, as well as organizing the first election since he was sworn in.
"I think everything's falling into place," Buehler said. "We've had a few hiccups here and there, but nothing we couldn't take care of."
Since the beginning of January Buehler had to move his staff around to fill some vacancies, like moving Erica Drake to the chief deputy clerk position, and is planning to hire a new data entry clerk soon. Once the office is again fully staffed he plans to make sure everyone in the office knows something about how every job is done.
"If somebody's gone, that job stops, and that's not helping the public," Buehler said explaining the reason for the cross training, which would give each employee a basic knowledge of the other employees' responsibilities.
The office also has new equipment for the employees to train with, after the addition of a new postage machine and an automated phone system, as well as the goal of digitalizing files instead of keeping hard copies of everything.
"I feel like we're accomplishing everything that needs to be done," Buehler said, despite the adjustments made.
With the city election and the county budget behind him, which Buehler said went smoothly, even though it was the first time for him, the next step will be the April election.
Buehler says other county clerks have told him that is the hardest election to deal with, even national elections, since so many entities are involved, such as school boards and townships.
"I don't think the public realizes how much goes into a little bitty election," Buehler said. "It's the same as a big election."
But Buehler said he is sure he will be able to make sure it is completed with little trouble with the help of his staff.
"I can't brag enough about my staff," Buehler said.
Buehler says he does not think the job will get easier as the months go on, but he will come to understand it better so it becomes more of a habit. In just the past month, Buehler says, in order to understand the job, he has done more research of laws than he did in his previous job in law enforcement.
It was the opportunity to interact with and help residents on a different level that first led him to campaign for the position.
"I spent the last 17 years dealing with a percentage of the public," Buehler said, referring to his time at the Vernon County Sheriff's office. "I felt like I could expand my reach to the public."
Buehler will have that opportunity as he continues to get accustomed to his new job and staff, but said he adapts to change well and looks forward to the challenge.