Auditor‑Controller Shamise Covington returns after 17 months, requests contract extension and budget support

Shamise Covington, Mendocino County auditor‑controller, treasurer and tax collector, told the Board of Supervisors that she returned to the office on Wednesday, February 26 after an absence of nearly 17 months and outlined immediate priorities.

Covington said she has met with staff, re‑established access to county systems with IT, attended a regional county auditors’ meeting, and submitted a department budget relying on information provided by staff. She told the board she plans to review a report prepared by Regional Government Services (RGS) and to meet with RGS and the county’s Treasury Pool Asset Management consultant, Chandler Asset Management.

Requested actions: Covington asked the board to (1) extend the Regional Government Services agreement through December 2026 to continue ongoing improvement projects and (2) fund budget appropriation requests the auditor’s office deems necessary to support operations and revenue collection. She said she also needs timely access to CEO staff, specifically naming county finance staff, in order to transition work completed in her absence and avoid duplicated effort or pauses in tasks.

Why it matters: Covington framed the requests as measures to ensure continuity of financial oversight, maintain momentum on projects started during her absence and to preserve institutional knowledge. She said she will meet with one or two board members to discuss concerns and requests in more detail and will return with follow‑up items.

Ending Covington said she looks forward to a productive working relationship with the board and will provide additional reports as projects advance. The board did not take an immediate formal vote on the RGS extension during the meeting; Covington said she plans to bring forward an amendment for the board’s consideration.