LITTLETON, Colo. -- A proposal that would allow a controversial county clerk to resign in exchange for $325,000 has been rescinded after both his supporters and critics criticized it.

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Tracy Baker Reacts

Arapahoe County commissioners planned to decide Friday whether to approve the deal with clerk and recorder Tracy Baker (pictured, left), who has refused repeated calls to resign, but Baker said he needed more time to consider it. That's when commissioners withdrew the offer.

So far, the investigation into the Clerk and Recorder's Office has cost Arapahoe County more than $600,000 in staff time, attorney's fees, investigation costs and other employee costs, according to commissioners.

"We're disappointed by Mr. Baker's action today because we were hoping to close the taxpayers checkbooks and future liability," said Commissioner Debra Vickrey. "We want employees to get back to work in a safe environment, free of harassment and intimidation."

"Mr. Baker needs to go," said Commissioner Susan Beckman at Friday's meeitng.

Baker told 7NEWS he had no intention of resigning.

"I will not (resign) and the people will eventually see why I have not and I think you got a good example of why, today," Baker said.

Had they accepted the deal, commissioners had planned to appoint Nancy Doty, Gov. Bill Owens' chief financial officer, as acting clerk, Doty's spokeswoman Kathy Kullback said Thursday.

The commissioners' move comes just days before county Republicans were set to begin a recall effort against their fellow party member. Doty filed papers Monday to run for clerk because of the planned recall.

Kathy Polhemus, a 30-year Arapahoe County Democrat, wants Baker out of office but thinks that decision should be left to voters.

"The principle here is that democracy has a price," she said. "If it's $325,000, it should go to the democratic process of a recall, not a buyout for a guy so we can avoid some embarrassment for the county."

Commissioners have not said how they arrived at the figure. County Assessor Ed Bosier, appointed by commissioners to oversee any recall attempts, said a recall election would cost as much as $500,000.

Yvonne Richards, a Republican and Baker supporter, said the plan is a slap in the face of voters who re-elected him to a four-year term last November, a month after the sex scandal in his office broke.

"We have the county commissioners saying, `Poor little voter. You didn't know what you were doing, so now we're going to do it for you."'

Baker, who earns $75,000 a year, was accused of creating a hostile work environment and misusing county money because of an affair he was having with an employee in his office. An outside investigator hired by the commissioners turned up hundreds of sexually explicit e-mail messages exchanged by the couple on county time.

Prosecutors investigated but cleared Baker of any criminal wrongdoing.

Experts say payments to get rid of elected officials are rare. One exception was the $137,000 severance package announced last month for Jefferson County Sheriff Russ Cook who was struggling with alcoholism.

"This is extremely unusual," said Sam Mamet, an associate director at the Colorado Municipal League. "But, of course, I'd have to say this whole situation in Arapahoe County is extremely rare and unusual."

Bob Loevy, a political science professor at Colorado College, said paying an elected official to leave office is much different than paying appointed officials like city managers and police chiefs to leave before their contracts are finished.

"He has no contract rights to the money. He's been elected by the voters," Loevy said. "It raises a real question of whether this is a proper use of government money."