Salt Lake County Republicans chose State Representative Adam Gardiner to replace Gary Ott as county recorder. Gardiner says he will not keep acting recorder Julie Dole in the office.
Gardiner was one of eight people running for the position vacated by Gary Ott on Aug. 1 as his health declined. After two rounds of voting Thursday night, a majority of Salt Lake County Republican delegates chose Gardiner as the new recorder.
Gardiner was elected to the state legislature last year. In a pitch to delegates, he touted his success during his short House tenure, his experience working as a business manager, and his insight as a former adviser to the Salt Lake County Council.
Many people have criticized Ott’s chief deputy, Julie Dole, for not speaking up about the former recorder’s declining health.
Gardiner says he will fire Dole as soon as he’s sworn in Friday morning.
“It’s going to be kind of a new day in the office, and Julie Dole won’t be a part of that,” Gardiner said after his victory.
Dole also ran for the position, but was defeated in the first round with only 7 percent of the vote. The acting recorder was emotional after her loss, and she would miss the staff in the recorder’s office, who were like family to her.
“This is the way our process goes, and I respect the election of Adam Gardiner,” she said afterwards.
Dole has insisted that as Ott’s employee, there was nothing she could do about his condition or his refusal to step down as his health declined.
Gardiner will resign his House seat and serve as recorder through 2018.
