Board Appoints Oscar Valdez to Succeed Larry Walker

The Board of Supervisors has unanimously appointed Oscar Valdez to fill the remainder of Larry Walker's term as the County's Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector who plans to retire on March 5 of this year. "We believe the County is very fortunate to have someone with Mr. Valdez's talent, experience, and knowledge of our County organization available to assume this great task at this time," said Board of Supervisors Chairman James Ramos. The voter-approved County Charter states the only option for filling the remainder of Mr. Walker's term was an appointment by the Board of Supervisors. Chairman Ramos and Vice Chairman Robert Lovingood were appointed by the Board of Supervisors to review applications for the position and make a recommendation to the Board. Seventeen people submitted applications for the appointment, nine of whom met the state-established minimum requirements for the position. Chairman Ramos and Vice Chairman Lovingood opted to interview five of the nine based on their executive-level experience managing finances and investments for large public- and private-sector organizations. "The Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector is responsible for essentially all of the County's financial and investment functions, so it is important that we have a seamless transition," Chairman Ramos said, noting that Mr. Valdez was the only current County employee who applied for the appointment. "Oscar Valdez not only meets and exceeds all of the qualifications for the position, but he has been Mr. Walker's number-two person for almost five years, and is the only applicant who knows the position as well as Mr. Walker does," Chairman Ramos said. "The Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector is in the midst of several important projects, chief among them the replacement of the County's aging financial accounting system. It is vital to the County that these projects proceed without interruption. Mr. Valdez is the only applicant who is familiar with these projects," Chairman Ramos said. Valdez came to work for the County in February 2000 and has served as Assistant Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector since May 2011. He previously worked as a senior auditor and supervisor in the private sector, and served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. The Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector is responsible for the investment of all County and School District funds within the County investment pool and associated banking services. The pool has assets of about $5 billion. The department also performs the accounting, reporting, and claims of all County financial activities to ensure sound financial management. This department is also responsible for vendor payments, payroll services, the compilation of property tax rates, and revenue disbursements to taxing agencies The department has a budget of nearly $40 million and 315 employees.