The board of supervisors Tuesday accepted the resignation of
head administrator Dan Vrtis and announced San Benito County would
not hire a permanent replacement until three new supervisors take
office in January.
Hollister – The board of supervisors Tuesday accepted the resignation of head administrator Dan Vrtis and announced San Benito County would not hire a permanent replacement until three new supervisors take office in January.
In the meantime, board chairman Bob Cruz appointed the two supervisors remaining on the board next year – Reb Monaco and Pat Loe – to a subcommittee that will choose an interim county administrative officer.
Vrtis’ departure from the county’s top appointed position – officially, his last day is today – came one week after a majority of supervisors agreed to request his resignation in a closed session meeting.
In June, the board promoted Vrtis to the job after the abrupt resignation of former CAO Terrence May. On Tuesday, supervisors also offered, and Vrtis accepted, his previous role as the county’s finance director.
After the meeting, the board issued a press release announcing the resignation. There were no reasons stated in the release for the board’s decision to request Vrtis’ resignation, which several officials confirmed last week. Supervisors didn’t comment further.
The press release stated that a recruitment for the permanent CAO would begin immediately, but that the new board will decide who gets the job.
“The Board of Supervisors has confidence in the staff of the Administrative Office to continue to operate in the exemplary fashion that they have continually served through transitions of executive leadership,” according to the release.
Vrtis on Tuesday declined to comment on the board’s decision and ensuing announcement.
He was the third CAO to resign in eight months. Former CAO Gil Solorio, who served in the role for three years, resigned in January. Then May took over before leaving six months later, after an argument with Cruz, setting the stage for Vrtis’ brief tenure.
The two supervisors-elect taking office in January are Jaime De La Cruz and Don Marcus. And there’s a runoff in November for the District 2 seat between Anthony Botelho and Anthony Freitas.
“I think in light of the fact that we’ve dismissed two CAOs within the past year,” Marcus said, “it’s a good, prudent decision to wait and hire someone in the interim basis to take us through to January and allow the new board to make a decision.”
“It’s a good step in the right direction,” De La Cruz said.
Supervisor Richard Scagliotti, who attended the regular meeting, was absent for the closed-session decision.
