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Board forms ad hoc and directs staff to draft ordinance to restore separate auditor and treasurer offices
Summary
Following public testimony and presentations by the county auditor‑controller‑treasurer, supervisors directed staff to draft an ordinance to repeal the 2021 consolidation and to return to the board for two hearings so voters could decide whether the Auditor and Treasurer offices should be elected in 2026.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors heard repeated public requests on Oct. 21 to reverse a 2021 consolidation that combined the auditor‑controller and treasurer‑tax collector offices. Several department leaders and members of the public urged the board to begin a process to restore the offices as separately elected positions.
Denise Parker (Department of Social Services) and Chamise Covington (Auditor‑Controller, Treasurer‑Tax Collector) appeared in the informational part of the agenda; Covington recommended the board take the procedural steps necessary to call an election to re‑establish separate elected offices. Covington said it remained her "professional opinion that the offices of the auditor controller, treasurer tax collector should be independent offices elected by the people." She noted counties statewide have debated consolidation and cited Lassen County as a recent example that repealed consolidation via ordinance and a 2026 election timeline.
Nut graf: Dozens of members of the public and representatives of local organizations asked the board to act quickly to restore separate elected offices, and supervisors formed an ad hoc committee to prepare a risk analysis and a draft ordinance; staff said the process would need two board meetings and must be completed before the end of the calendar year to make the 2026 election timetable.
What the board did
Supervisor Klein, Supervisor Norvell and other speakers pushed for a timeline and an analysis of the fiscal and operational risk of reversing the consolidation. Supervisor Norvell asked for a risk analysis prior to action; Supervisor Klein and others said an ordinance must be drafted and returned to the board at two future hearings (required steps under county ordinance) so an election could be set for 2026. The board agreed to form an ad hoc (chair and Supervisors Aztec and Norvell were mentioned) and to direct staff to prepare the necessary ordinance language and fiscal analysis.
Public comment and community context
Speakers and organizations supporting separation included the Mendocino County Farm Bureau, local political committees, the Mendocino Farm Bureau, members of the public who served or had served in county fiscal functions, and the acting auditor‑controller. Several commenters referenced a State Controller audit and the grand jury as prior prompts for reexamination. Community members requested the county finish the two‑step ordinance process in November and December to preserve the opportunity for a 2026 ballot measure.
Ending: The board directed staff to work with the ad hoc committee on a risk analysis and to prepare ordinance language for return to the board at two subsequent meetings; the board did not adopt an ordinance at the Oct. 21 meeting, but members said they expected a November agenda item and additional public hearings before year end.
