1. In all counties of the fourth class, the clerks of the circuit court shall be ex officio recorder for their respective counties, unless the governing body of such county has separated the two offices pursuant to sections 59.042 and 59.043.

2. With respect to any county that elects to separate the offices of clerk of the circuit court and recorder of deeds, all references in statutes to the “circuit clerk ex officio recorder of deeds” shall be deemed, after the separation, to refer to either the circuit clerk or the recorder of deeds, as appropriate in the context of the reference.