Editor,
I am frankly shocked to learn that the treasurer, a 25-hour a week city staff position was making $150,000 per year.
The current treasurer has asked as recently as February to make this a full-time position indicating the role had become larger and more complex. She made the very same request in 2007. A consultant’s report provided to the city council on Feb. 23 concluded:
- The position of should not be a full-time position.
2. The 2015-16 budget of 25 hours / week should be more than sufficient to perform the required functions.
He made an additional observation. “Compared to other cities, the incumbent city treasurer spends a great deal of time (80 hours per year) on continuing education / professional activities. The city’s current budget for these is $6,800, which is far more than the next highest reported amount ($1,180) of the three survey cities. My experience is that such meetings are of little or marginal value to the individual cities.”
The current treasurer claims that a CPA makes her more qualified to do this role. While a CPA is a distinguished designation, it is irrelevant to the treasurer role as the treasurer has no involvement with tax.
The California Government Code and California local agency investment guidelines prescribe where cities are allowed to invest. Security of the asset is the primary objective, so there is not a lot of savvy that can make a difference.
This is what happens when a role becomes more than it was intended. When someone holds office without challenge, the office can become a self-serving bureaucracy. The only campaign the incumbent treasurer has run in her tenure has been to campaign to change the role from part-time to full-time. Perhaps if she spent more time on being the treasurer versus spending time on her outside education and professional activities she wouldn’t be overburdened in her role. This is an elected position, not an entitlement.
For the first time in 17 years, the citizens of Laguna Beach have a choice to improve efficiency, transparency and to have someone who is accountable to them. A new treasurer would come in at a significantly lower cost.
Anne McGraw is an experienced professional with a demonstrated track record of doing work on time, within budget and accurately.
Greg Mech, Laguna Beach
