Officials Mull Replacement for Recorder : Government: County Clerk Gary Granville is backed to succeed embattled Lee Branch, subject of a sexual harassment investigation, when Branch’s term ends next year.

With Orange County Recorder Lee Branch at the center of a sexual harassment investigation, officials have begun speculating about who might succeed him in the obscure elective office.

Supervisor Roger R. Stanton, citing past episodes of mismanagement by Branch, said Wednesday that he has endorsed County Clerk Gary L. Granville to replace Branch when the recorder’s term in office expires next year.

Stanton said that he would allow the current probe by the county’s affirmative action office to run its course, but that Branch should not be allowed another term.

The supervisor said his “main concern is for the personnel and the morale problem” in the recorder’s office. “Once the source of the problem is removed, then things can move on,” Stanton said.

The supervisor also said the Branch probe might end up before the Orange County Grand Jury for review in the panel’s capacity as a watchdog for county government operations. Stanton said the grand jury’s involvement has been mentioned among “a number” of possible options for county officials to pursue.

Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Harriett M. Wieder said the case should be referred to the grand jury if investigators with the affirmative action office find a basis for the sexual harassment allegations.

“Things like that cannot be ignored,” Wieder said.

At issue are allegations that Branch’s relationship with a female worker in his supervision--documents manager Nancy L. Smith--has caused difficulties for other employees, resulting in operational and morale problems within his department.

In an interview Wednesday, Branch denied any wrongdoing and vowed to hold onto his office.

“I feel that I have nothing to hide,” Branch said. “We’ve run a first-class shop. Everything I have done has been with the approval of the county administrative office.”

While he acknowledged the relationship with Smith, Branch said he has been able to keep his private life “separate from the business of the office.”

“What I do on my time is my business,” he said, adding that he believes the allegations are rooted in political maneuvering for his office. He said he did not know who might be behind the allegations.

Sources close to the investigation said the probe has become particularly sensitive since it is believed to be the first time that an elected county official has been the target of such allegations.

Among questions under review by affirmative action investigators are whether Smith tried to influence office operations without regard for higher-ranking officials within the department and whether Branch made lewd remarks to a female worker, sources familiar with the investigation said.

Until he became aware of the investigation last week, Branch said, he was not aware of any serious difficulties in his office. He also denied ever making remarks that would cause offense. “I’m very sensitive to that,” he said.

Branch conceded that there have been concerns about morale, but attributed them to an increased filing workload in the recorder’s office, spurred by residents taking advantage of low interest rates to refinance their mortgages.

The Branch investigation began more than a week ago after the affirmative action office, which handles discrimination and sexual harassment concerns, received complaints about Branch’s behavior.

The 57-year-old recorder has taken a 30-day leave of absence pending the outcome of the probe. Smith, a documents manager who has worked in the office for 21 years, is on a two-week leave. She could not be reached for comment.

Ella M. Murphy, heading the county’s vast record-keeping department in Branch’s absence, said that 14 employees in the office have been summoned for questioning by investigators.

Even though Branch’s term does not expire until December, 1994, other county officials are speculating that the allegations might drive Branch from office early or harm any chance at reelection, especially with Granville waiting in the wings.

But Branch said he has no plans to leave office early and has not changed his plans to seek reelection.

While toiling in relative obscurity, the recorder earns an annual salary of $75,420, supervising a staff of about 100 whose job it is to ensure the filing of about 4,000 documents--mostly dealing with real estate-related transactions--each day.

Granville is considered the most likely successor, Stanton and other officials said. The county clerk earlier this year streamlined the record-keeping responsibilities of the county by eliminating his own position and combining most of the clerk’s filing duties with those of the recorder. That leaves Granville without a job come December, 1994, freeing him to run for the recorder’s post.

The consolidation, coming during tense budget discussions, won Granville goodwill with Stanton and other supervisors.

When supervisors approved the consolidation in May, Granville stated his interest in seeking the newly combined office of clerk-recorder.

Granville said Wednesday that he received no assurances from supervisors or other county officials that he would get their support for any future office before initiating the consolidation.

However, the clerk said he has become aware of concerns about operation of the recorder’s office during recent months.