CLALLAM COUNTY – County Commissioners have decided it’s time to reorganize the County’s financial management system, and will ask voters to approve the formation of a new Finance Department that would be headed up by a Chief Financial Officer.
The problem they’re trying to solve is what they describe as a current system that lags behind in efficiency by diffusing responsibilities among too many departments. Many of those responsibilities have been on the shoulders of County Administrator Jim Jones, who retires in October. Commissioner Mark Ozias says the County has just gotten too big to retain that model.
Ozias says there is no plan to hire someone new to take the position of CFO, but exactly who would be appointed is not yet known.
We asked Ozias whether a reorganization might eliminate or compromise some of the checks and balances designed to assure the responsible handling of taxpayer finances.
Commissioners approved a call for hearing on the subject for Tuesday, July 31. The public is encouraged to attend.