In hopes of attracting quality candidates as San Benito County
begins its search for a new county attorney to replace outgoing
interim County Counsel Claude Biddle, the Board of Supervisors this
week approved raising the salary for that position by $20,000 per
year.
Hollister – In hopes of attracting quality candidates as San Benito County begins its search for a new county attorney to replace outgoing interim County Counsel Claude Biddle, the Board of Supervisors this week approved raising the salary for that position by $20,000 per year.
During the same Tuesday meeting, supervisors voted to increase the clerk/auditor/recorder’s position by more than $14,000 per year, keeping with county policy that department heads get paid 20 percent more than their assistant director.
Biddle, who will retire as interim county counsel on Jan. 31, makes $120,000 per year – 70 to 60 percent of what county counsels in neighboring counties are paid, according to County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson. During the meeting, supervisors agreed to pay the right candidate for the job up to $140,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications. Recruitment for the county counsel position started this week, according to Thompson.
Supervisors said that offering more money to recruit a quality county attorney is a good investment.
“I can see where if you have a very competent county counsel you can accomplish a whole lot of good work in the county,” Supervisor Anthony Botelho said during the meeting.
Supervisor Don Marcus agreed, saying hiring a qualified attorney is worth the money in the long run.
“I think we need to invest in that position,” he said. “A good county counsel can save a lot of money.”
San Benito County has not had a permanent county attorney since the Board of Supervisors declined to renew former County Counsel Karen Forcum’s contract last February. Biddle came on board as interim county counsel in April, 2005.
During Tuesday’s meeting the board presented Biddle with a plaque in appreciation of his time as county counsel, praising the attorney for his work.
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz said that Biddle was not just a good attorney, but a friend as well.
Thompson said that she has not yet determined who will stand in as county counsel while administrators seek a new attorney.
Following their decision to increase the salary range for the county counsel position, supervisors voted 3-2 to increase the clerk/auditor/recorder’s salary by $14,400 per year. The increase created a 20 percent salary spread between the department head for the county Clerk’s Office and the finance director, which is the assistant department head for that office.
While it is county policy that department heads get paid 20 percent more than their assistants, Thompson said that whether or not that policy applies to the clerk/auditor/recorder position was murky. It is unclear whether the finance director is an assistant department head because the person reports to the CAO’s office as well as the clerk’s.
“In terms of being ( an assistant department head) it doesn’t fit the exact mold,” Thompson told board members.
After the meeting, Clerk/Auditor/Recorder John Hodges said that the previous Board of Supervisors established the finance director position as one that is under direction of his office and is therefore his assistant department head. Thompson overlooked his office when she recently, with approval of the board, adjusted the salaries of the assessor, chief probation officer and sheriff to establish a 20 percent spread between their salaries and those of their assistants.
“She went through and did that spread and overlooked the clerk/auditor/recorder, not realizing that it was part of those corrections,” Hodges said.
After discussing the matter for several minutes, the board voted to grant the pay increase, with supervisors Pat Loe and Botelho dissenting. Loe said she wanted to have time to study the finance director position to determine if it is an assistant department head.
“Part of what we’re looking at here, is we have a department that is unique,” she said during the meeting. “I think we should look at the finance director position, title and job description and decide if it is an assistant director.”
