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City treasurer on leave due to health Barbara Christensen Tuesday Dec 27, 2016 at 8:47 PM Dec 27, 2016 at 8:47 PM By Julie Akins For the Tidings Longtime Ashland city Recorder/Treasurer Barbara Christensen is on leave after suffering a stroke recently. She is undergoing inpatient physical therapy through the first week of January, she wrote in an email to the Tidings. The leave will continue "until further notice," Mayor John Stromberg indicated is a brief statement about her absence. “The City of Ashland is in contact with her and she will continue to maintain oversight of her department until her return,” according to the statement. “I’m taking it one day at a time but may be back in the office soon, I hope,” Christensen stated in an email. Christensen has been the recorder/treasurer since 1994 when she was first elected to the office. She is serving her sixth four-year year term as an elected official for the city, and has indicated she does not plan to run for another term. A "Look Ahead" document showing upcoming items coming before the council prepared Dec. 14 for the council's Dec. 19 study session indicated an announcement about her retirement was expected at the Jan. 3 council business meeting. Her duties include acting as clerk for the council, maintaining city records and the City Charter and Municipal Code. She serves as the city’s investment officer and manages municipal elections. “I have a very capable assistant Dana Smith who can handle many aspects of my office," Christensen said of her absence, which she expects to be temporary. "I am in communication via e-mail and can accomplish quite a bit electronically. I still have full oversight over my office.” Christensen was named the 2016 City Recorder of the Year at a statewide gathering of the Oregon Association of Municipal Recorders in Ashland in September. The Certified Municipal Clerk received the President's Award of Distinction from the Oregon Municipal Recorder's Association in 2001 and in 2005 was awarded the prestigious "First Freedom Award" from the Society of Professional Journalists for her work in making documents more accessible to the public. She and her husband have lived in Ashland for more than 25 years and have two sons. The city is already in something of a transitional period, with city Administrator Dave Kanner released from his contract at the end of November, nearly a year before its end. Fire Chief John Karns is filling in as well, as still holding his position as Fire Chief. The city's Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Lee Tuneberg, recently retired and the city is seeking his replacement. “He gave us a couple of months notice. Good for him, bad for us,” said Councilor Pam Marsh, who is due to step down after the first week of January to be sworn in as a state representative, filling the slot left vacant by Peter Buckley, who did not run for reelection. No procedure for replacing her has been established by the mayor or council. “The CFO opening is as a result of a retirement and the situation with Barb is limited,” Stromberg said, while acknowledging, “There is change.” “There has certainly been change and there will be more. We’re fortunate that we have a mature mayor and city councilors who know what they're looking for. Really it is the predictable pace of organizational change,” said Marsh. Christensen confirmed her retirement has been discussed, but added that, should she choose to leave, an appointee should only be interim. She said she believes strongly in the benefits of her position being up to the voters. Ashland is one of only three Oregon cities to elect the city recorder. “I know there was discussion of making this position appointed rather than elected, but I don’t agree," said Christensen. "There are too many advantages of having an elected official in City Hall even though you may hear otherwise. It is the citizens who benefit.”  “We’ve had people who’ve been with the city for a long time and that’s been good, but now we have to adapt,” said Marsh. Changing from an elected to an appointed position would require voter approval of a charter amendment. Email Ashland freelance writer Julie Akins at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/@julieakins.