Board approves consent calendar, appoints interim auditor controller, and OKs closed‑session settlement

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved its full consent calendar (items C1–C153) during the July 22 meeting and took several notable actions: the board unanimously appointed Joanne Boren as interim auditor‑controller; the county announced in closed session it had approved an $800,000 settlement in Ortiz v. County of Contra Costa (case No. MSC2102233); and the board approved a consultant selection for a property‑tax system evaluation after public comment raised concerns about stakeholder engagement.

Consent calendar and consultant for tax system The board approved the routine consent calendar — C1 through C153 — by unanimous vote. One consent item discussed in public comment was the treasurer/tax‑collector’s office contract to evaluate or replace the county’s property‑tax system. Gus Kramer of the public testified that he is a heavy user of the property‑tax interface and said he had not been invited to early‑stage discussions; Kramer told supervisors the item “is a lot of money to spend unnecessarily” and asked for broader department‑level involvement. Dan Mierzois, the county treasurer‑tax collector, said his office vetted the consultant, invited assessor and auditor‑controller staff to prior discussions and selected a firm with county experience. Supervisors asked for updates as the project proceeds.

Interim auditor‑controller appointment The board appointed Joanne Boren, the assistant county auditor who has worked in the Auditor‑Controller’s Office for more than 25 years, as interim auditor‑controller to fill the unexpired term of the retired auditor. Boren told the board she would prioritize year‑end close processes, Workday stabilization, updates to procedure manuals and coordination with the county administrator. The appointment carried unanimously.

Closed‑session settlement (announced publicly) At the meeting’s start the board had met in closed session and announced in open session that the board voted 5‑0 in closed session to approve an $800,000 settlement in Ortiz v. County of Contra Costa, Superior Court case number MSC2102233. County counsel said that the closed‑session vote authorized the settlement resolution; no additional details were released at the time of the announcement.

Other follow‑ups and public comment Multiple residents and stakeholders used public comment to press for procedural transparency on several items, notably the property‑tax system contract and the Sheriff’s Truth Act forum earlier in the meeting. Supervisors asked staff to provide status updates and suggested additional briefings as departments implement the newly authorized contracts.

Why it matters: The auditor‑controller is a central fiscal officer for the county; installing an interim with institutional knowledge aims to provide continuity while major finance projects (Workday stabilization and a property‑tax system review) continue. The closed‑session settlement represents a fiscal exposure resolved by the board.

What’s next: Staff will provide updates on the property‑tax system contract as it moves forward and the auditor‑controller’s office will report on year‑end closing and follow‑up work. The county will also continue routine follow‑ups from the Truth Act forum and other items discussed during the meeting.