Measure T & U failed to gain voter approval to consolidate county offices into one Director of Finances, and the Lassen Supervisors are taking into account the outcome of the vote, along with the current Auditor Tax Collector thoughts.
During the Supervisor’s meeting on March 19th, the fate of the position rested with the board to decide, as the measures were advisory only. Considering the community’s sentiment and opting to maintain the separation of both offices, the supervisors chose not to enact any changes. Instead, they will await the next election cycle to allow individuals, including those trained under Nancy Cardenas, the current Auditor Tax Collector, to step forward and run for the two offices, along with other interested parties in the county, as Cardenas emphasized that her name will not be on the ballot, as her retirement date is set for December 31st, 2026.
When asked about her stance on whether the offices should be merged or kept separate, Cardenas expressed her preference for continuity, particularly with ongoing projects like implementing the new Tyler system aimed at integrating and streamlining county finance processes. She advocated for keeping the offices combined until the end of her term.
Furthermore, Cardenas emphasized the need for succession planning and highlighted the county’s shortcomings in this regard, given the recent retirements of several department heads without adequate successors in place.
The board intends to present the issue to voters again as two separate offices in the next election cycle.
