Sonoma County supervisors hire Donna Dunk to top finance post

Sonoma County supervisors have hired Donna Dunk, the county’s assistant auditor-controller, to replace David Sundstrom as auditor-controller-treasurer-tax collector.

Sundstrom retired last month, serving less than two years of his four-year term at the county’s top financial post. He was elected in June 2014.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday held an unusual interview of Dunk at its regular public meeting, a move required when filling an elected position with someone who has not been elected by voters.

“I have years of service and experience,” Dunk told supervisors. “That’s not something you’re going to pick up in a text book.”

After a brief round of questions, supervisors approved her appointment unanimously.

Dunk, 57, expressed gratitude about the board approval Tuesday. “I’m honored,” said Dunk, who has worked with the county for 31 years.

Dunk previously was passed over for the position. For eight months in 2011 and 2012, she filled the vacancy left when longtime auditor-controller Rod Dole retired. Supervisors in 2012 then appointed Sundstrom to take over. He was elected two years later.

Dunk will fulfill the remainder of Sundstrom’s term, which expires in January 2019.

She declined to say whether she would run for public office to retain the seat.

“Three years is a long way out,” she said. “I’ll have to think about it.”

The job of auditor-controller-treasurer-tax-collector involves a range of financial and administrative duties, including collecting and apportioning property taxes; managing the county’s $1.8 billion treasury, including school, community college and special district funds; serving on the board of the county’s pension system; and overseeing bond issuance, audits of county departments and accounting practices for the county’s $1.45 billion budget.

Dunk’s appointment comes with an $80,681 pay increase. Her new annual salary as of April 5 is $221,401.

You can reach Staff Writer Angela Hart at 526-8503 or angela.hart@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ahartreports.