Job-search contract rejected

<p>For the first time in years, Sonoma County supervisors have soundly rejected a consulting contract proposed by their top administrator, Bob Deis.</p><p>Until this week, Deis' proposals for contracts such as spending $100,000 to hire Avery and Associates to conduct searches for top level administrators typically sailed through the five-member board.</p><p>Deis argued that outside consultants provide prospective job applicants with a level of confidentiality that nets the county qualified applicants who can avoid publicity surrounding their job changes.</p><p>"What we are doing is buying their (the consultants') Rolodex," Deis said. "A lot of these people are not even looking for jobs."</p><p>But Supervisors Shirlee Zane, Valerie Brown and Efren Carrillo, all of whom won election last November, said Tuesday they weren't willing to spend a dime on nationwide searches for managers to fill top positions that become vacant.</p><p>The challenges raised by the supervisors echo calls issued during last year's election campaign, especially by unions at odds with county administrators over contract negotiations, that spending at the highest levels needed to be curbed at a time when county workers were suffering job, wage and benefit cuts.</p><p>The vote also indicates some supervisors are increasingly inclined to join Zane in opposing administration deficit reduction proposals, which should make upcoming budget hearings much more contentious than in the past.</p><p>Deis proposed the contract as an extension of expired agreements that previously had netted pools of applicants for vacant positions. The only upcoming vacancy that will be created is in September when the county technology information services director retires. The county also has a vacant leadership position at Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, but there's been no decision on the process for filling it.</p><p>"I don't buy that we don't have people right here in Sonoma County that are highly qualified," said Zane, citing recent layoffs at Agilent Technologies. "I can't support a lucrative head-hunter contract. We could hire two welfare eligibility workers at that price."</p><p>Brown said she objected to the proposed contract because it amounted to "a blank check" since it offered no specifics on what job searches would be conducted.</p><p>"I think we are starting to look differently at each and every dollar that we spend," Brown said.</p><p>Carrillo agreed, saying "I don't feel it is the right time to be loooking at a $100,000 expense."</p><p>Supervisor Mike Kerns joined the group, saying it is inappropriate to spend so much when the county's projected budget gap remains at about $11 million. He said he would agree to limit the contract to no more than $25,000.</p><p>Board Chairman Paul Kelley said he disagreed with his colleagues because previous executive searches have brought in "people from the outside with vision." However, he conceded the contract proposal lacked enough votes to pass, so he asked Deis to come up with ways that the human resources department could handle future executive searches.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Bleys W. Rose at 521-5431 or bleys.rose@pressdemocrat.com.</p>