Controversy Continues to Follow Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI — For Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds Karen Spranger, one controversy appears to be ending while another continues to boil. Two months after her computer privileges were stripped over allegations of letting outsiders use the county system, Spranger’s access was set to be restored Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a pair of former chief deputy clerks fired by Spranger have filed ethics complaints against her. On yet another front, county commissioners rejected Spranger’s request for funds to hire an independent counsel to allow her to demote, fire or reassign any of her employees.

All of the drama hasn’t gone unnoticed by Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. In a memo, he urged commissioners to nix Spranger’s request for funds, saying he “cannot support allocating public funds to potentially give the clerk even more authority to threaten and disrupt her workforce.”

Spranger’s computer privileges were only restored after she signed an acknowledgement Tuesday saying she had received the county's technology policy, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press. Deputy County Executive Mark Deldin told the newspaper the acknowledgement was a condition for Spranger to have privileges restored.

The county suspended her access to its computer system in January. Spranger allegedly allowed two non-county employees to use the system. Frank Cusumano, a private attorney retained by Spranger told the Free Press his client had to rely on subordinates to complete work assignments.

Spranger, a Republican, was elected to the dual post of clerk and registered of deeds last November and took office on Jan. 1, 2017.

She appointed Paul Kardasz as her chief deputy clerk and Erin Stahl as her deputy register of deeds to handle day-to-day operations. Spranger fired both at-will employees by letters dated Friday, the Free Press reported. No reasons were given for their dismissals.

It’s unclear what effect, if any, Kardasz’ and Stahl’s ethics violations filings will have on the county clerk. Deldin told the Detroit Free Press Spranger is not showing up for grievance meetings to defend her actions.

Spranger is also alleged to have made threats to the jobs of union employees. AFSCME 411 President Donna Cangemi told county commissioners on Monday that some workers have been unable to sleep and are taking medication since Spranger took office, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Photo of Executive Mark Hackel courtesy of Macomb County