A day after a judge ordered Karen Spranger removed from her job as Macomb County clerk, Chief Circuit Court Judge James Biernat Jr. appointed a longtime county employee to fill the post temporarily.
Spranger, who has been embroiled in controversy almost since her election to the job in November of 2016, was ousted Tuesday by St. Clair County Circuit Judge Daniel Kelly, who was acting as a visiting judge for Macomb County Circuit court.
He ruled that an affidavit of residency presented when Spranger filed as a candidate for the post was invalid.
On Wednesday, Biernat named Kathy Brower, a county employee since September 1992, to fill the post until a permanent appointment is made.
Brower began working as a temporary file room clerk for the clerk’s office and was hired permanently in July of 1993.
She has worked in numerous jobs throughout the county during her career — as a typist clerk for the board of commissioners, supervisor of records for the clerk’s office as well as data maintenance clerk, judicial aide and assistant to the circuit court administrator.
Most recently, Brower has served as the court’s caseload manager, overseeing case assignment, statistical reporting, attorney appointments, interpreter appointments and monitoring compliance with the State Court Administrative Office’s time guidelines.
“I am honored that I’ve been chosen to assist the county with this transition,” she said. “I hope that my temporary appointment will bring some stability to the great staff working at the clerk’s office.”
Although the chief judge is authorized under state law to make a temporary appointment, all of the judges on the circuit court bench must meet to make an appointment to fill out the remainder the term until the next general election, Biernat said.
That meeting has been set for Friday, April 13.
County officials had sought Spranger’s removal contending she lied on her affidavit of identity when she said she lived at a home in Warren.
In his ruling, Kelly said none of the evidence presented showed that Spranger resided in Macomb County in the 30 days preceding the filing deadline in 2016.
Kelly said Spranger claimed to have resided in Macomb County “but provides no documentary evidence to support that assertion.”
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