(Supervisors may have chosen a new Auditor/Controller)....Maybe not.

At their meeting Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors decided to fill the vacancy left by Josue Mercado. Mercado's position as Auditor/Controller became vacant following his felony convictions. The Supervisors felt they could fill the vacancy by appointing Karina B. Alvarez to the position. Alvarez was the only candidate who had filed for the position on the June ballot. When the issue was brought up at the Board's weekly meeting they discovered a possible snag. Alvarez already holds an elected position. She is a member of the McCabe Union Elementary School District. Alvarez said she had looked into the issue, but could not get a definitive answer. The Supervisors went ahead and agreed to the appointment, contingent on  on a decision from the County Counsel as to whether she could hold both positions at the same time or not. In the meantime, Assistant Auditor/Controller Shelly Smail will continue to run the department.