The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors this week unanimously approved an ordinance that will separate the auditor-controller-treasurer-tax collector position into two departments, undoing the previous consolidation of the two positions enacted by the board in 2022.
The ordinance reads, “The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has determined that separation of the office of auditor-controller-treasurer-tax-collector into the office of the auditor-controller and treasurer-tax collector would be in the public interest.”
Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector Chamise Cubbison was present at the meeting as well as other community members who were supportive of the separation of the two offices.
During the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting, Estelle Clifton, the president of the Mendocino County Farm Bureau and a supporter of separating the two departments, said that separating the auditor-controller and treasurer-tax collector positions will increase efficiency and transparency in local government.
“The Mendocino County Farm Bureau has been advocating for moving the two offices back,” Clifton said. “There will be checks and balances around having those fiscal departments separate. I am pleased to see this on the agenda and am hoping it will move forward.”
Supervisor Madeline Cline, who supported the deconsolidation of the offices, posed questions to the other supervisors about who would oversee the separation of the positions.
“I am glad to see the board is open to this conversation. But this does feel a little rushed,” Cline emphasized during the discussion. “I am curious, who will be overseeing this deconsolidation of this position? Would Ms. Cubbison be the person that oversees the transition? I just want to make sure we know what’s going to happen if we go forward with this today.”
Cubbison said she has about one year left in her term as auditor-controller-treasurer-tax collector. She noted that once her term ends, there will be an open election, similar to other years when the county has voted in new employees to the financial department.
“This won’t be any different than any other open election. There may be other candidates, maybe myself, maybe someone different,” Cubbison said.
She added that separating the positions will make it easier for the two financial offices to focus on their own tasks.
“There won’t be a huge change in overall structure, but it will allow for a future concentrated focus for those department heads on those respective offices and the statutory requirements on those offices,” Cubbison said.
Supervisor John Haschak, who also supported the deconsolidation, said that according to his knowledge and Cubbison’s analysis, there wouldn’t be much financial impact. He added that when the board consolidated the two departments, there were no financial savings.
Near the end of the discussion, Supervisor Bernie Norvell said that he has received significant feedback from community members that they are largely in favor of the separation of the two positions.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to separate the auditor-controller-treasurer-tax-collector positions into two departments.
The next Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Nov. 18 in the board chambers at 501 Low Gap Road, Ukiah. Meetings can also be watched virtually via Zoom. More information, including agendas, is available at this website.