Board hears two finalists for auditor-controller; decision on appointment deferred to April 15

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors conducted public interviews April 1 for two finalists to fill the unexpired term of retiring Auditor-Controller Robert Campbell but took no appointment action and moved the matter to the board’s April 15 meeting.

Human Resources Manager Nicole Bilich introduced the process and noted both candidates had cleared background checks and filed required disclosures. The board heard five-minute opening statements from Peter Karumbi, a current Contra Costa County employee who holds an active California CPA license and now serves as an auditor controller division manager, and Donna Schmidt, a private-sector finance executive and CPA with more than 30 years of accounting and systems-implementation experience.

Karumbi emphasized continuity and institutional knowledge, citing 13 years in the Auditor-Controller’s office, his role on the county’s Workday ERP implementation, experience preparing the county’s annual comprehensive financial report, and endorsements from retiring Auditor-Controller Robert Campbell and two assistant auditor-controllers. “If appointed, I'm ready to serve as the auditor-controller on day one,” Karumbi said, adding priorities such as ensuring fiscal integrity, leveraging Workday to improve procurement and asset management, and addressing the county payroll system.

Schmidt described a long private-sector career leading accounting teams and implementing enterprise software, including a recent NetSuite conversion and multiple payroll system projects. She told supervisors she approaches change management through deep system analysis, stakeholder outreach and phased implementation plans. “When you switch industries, you have to learn the rules,” she said, adding she would prioritize understanding existing county systems before proposing changes.

Board members pressed both candidates on examples of large change efforts, resistance encountered, and how they would work with the county administrator and departments. Karumbi described resistance during the Workday rollout and stressed training and stakeholder engagement as remedies; Schmidt described turning around operations at a private company and the challenge of convincing long-tenured staff and owners to accept change.

The board also discussed structural options for the auditor-controller office: whether to leave it elected, convert it to an appointed position (which would require a voter measure), or combine the auditor role with the treasurer-tax collector (which could be changed by ordinance). Candidates were asked if they would run if appointed; both said they would. Supervisors flagged the legal and independence implications of shifting from an elected to appointed office and asked County Counsel to present options at a future meeting.

With no formal appointment today, supervisors agreed to continue the item to the April 15 meeting for further discussion. The board also directed staff to prepare materials explaining the options — appointment vs. election vs. consolidation with treasurer-tax collector — and to invite the assistant auditor-controllers to discuss interim-designation scenarios.

Public comment on the interviews was opened and the board paused for a scheduled Cesar Chavez celebration; the item will resume at the April 15 meeting.

No appointment was made at the April 1 meeting; the matter remains on the board calendar for April 15.