EVERETT — Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said in a cable-TV interview that it would be easier to hold the county sheriff and several other officials accountable if they were appointed by his office rather than elected.

Reardon's comments Aug. 16 on the Edmonds Community College show "Civic Engagement" have riled Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart, who has battled with Reardon since the executive took office.

Bart said Reardon's comments are little more than political fodder. Bart, a Republican, cannot run for another term as sheriff but is considering running against Reardon, a Democrat, in 2007.

D.J. Wilson, an economics instructor at the college who interviewed Reardon, pointedly asked him what elected offices might be done away with, if possible.

Reardon spent most of the time alleging that the sheriff's office — Bart in particular — has been unprofessional.

"We need professional law enforcement," Reardon said. "We don't want an elected posse running the county."

Reardon also suggested the county treasurer and clerk of courts should be appointed positions.

Such changes would first have to be discussed by the county's charter commission, which will be elected in November and put to work for the first time in 10 years. Reardon said he has not discussed with staff whether to propose these changes to the commission.

Any charter change eventually would be subject to approval by the county's voters.

Reardon claims that Bart has repeatedly quashed the executive's attempts to review financial expenditures and that Bart has consistently blamed the executive's office — even county executives before Reardon — for budget problems.

Each episode of the show, which is broadcast to about 150,000 homes in south Snohomish County, is shown about 20 times during a two-week period, Wilson said. The show doesn't have a large following, he said, but for the avid viewer, it's a chance to closely follow Snohomish County government.

"Bart will get his chance to respond Sept. 27," Wilson said yesterday.

Bart said yesterday he hadn't seen the Reardon episode until deputies brought him a taped copy.

"[Reardon's comments] are an insult to every man and woman who works here," he said.

Reardon said yesterday his comments were not directed at the deputies "who work hard to provide public safety," but at Bart, "who's made a spectacle of himself in the past."

While the sheriff's position is nonpartisan, Reardon says Bart has continually pushed his Republican agenda. An appointed sheriff such as Pierce County's couldn't do that, he said.

Bart counters that Reardon would appoint only a Democrat to lead the department.

Reardon also told Wilson that the positions of treasurer and clerk of courts would be cheaper to run if placed under the executive's office.

The treasurer's office duplicates many of the tasks of the executive's office in terms of budgeting, Reardon said. The clerk's office could be run by the executive's office or by the Snohomish County Superior Court, similar to King County's model.

Snohomish County Treasurer Bob Dantini and Clerk Pam Daniels could not be reached yesterday for comment.

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-783-0577 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com