FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 1998
Contact: Diane Thomas
(714) 834-6203
Jan Mittermeier Accepts
Contract Offer
SANTA ANA – Attached
is a copy of a letter delivered this afternoon to the
Board of Supervisors by County Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier.
The letter, addressed to Board Chairman Jim Silva, contains
an acceptance of the Board’s contract offer made
at yesterday’s Board meeting.
October 7, 1998Honorable James W. Silva
Chairman, Orange County Board of Supervisors
10 Civic Center Plaza
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Dear Chairman Silva:
I appreciate the hard work and difficult issues the Board
has dealt with in finalizing the contract for the executive
officer. I know your intent has been to provide a balance
that ensures the Board can meet its responsibilities and
allow this position to be effective in carrying out the
Board’s policies and direction.
While the contract may not encompass all the original
positions of each individual, I think the end result is
a framework that can support a successful working relationship.
As you know, I strongly believe that the ability of the
executive officer to appoint department heads based on
merit is key to the success of the organization. This
is the primary area of concern for me in considering your
offer. You and other Board members, however, have publicly
expressed that the Board oversight provision related to
department head appointments will be applied responsibly
and with regard to good governance practices. Given all
these factors, I have decided to accept the Board’s
offer to continue the work we have begun.
Together we have made great strides toward realizing the
Board’s vision for a better County government. We
have made accountability, fiscal control, and policy management
the foundation of this organization.
We can all be proud that the County is well along the
road to recovery from bankruptcy. We have a lot of work
ahead of us, however, to fulfill our commitment to the
citizens of Orange County and the bond holders and to
ensure our strength in the future.
As we build on our success to date, the County still faces
many challenges, including our approximate $1 billion
in debt. Among the important goals we have yet to achieve
are:
Continuing our efforts to defease outstanding
debt and restore contingency funding
Regaining our A grade bond ratings
Maintaining our disciplined approach to
budget and spending
Continuing to improve the Strategic Financial
Plan and business planning processes
Evaluating the effectiveness of our initial
restructuring efforts and apply those lessons
to continued restructuring of County government
Developing meaningful performance measures for programs
and employees
With the achievements we’ve made and the work that
lies ahead, I look forward to supporting the Board in
accomplishing its goals and priorities.
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