South Tahoe finance director taking job in Douglas County
By Kathryn Reed
South Lake Tahoe Finance Director Christine Vuletich is leaving in two weeks to take a job in Douglas County.
She was hired in September 2004 by then City Manager Dave Jinkens to replace the retiring Bruce Budman. She is leaving to be assistant county manager/chief financial officer for Douglas County.
Vuletich, 52, told Lake Tahoe News she is looking forward to the challenges ahead of her with having more responsibility.
“It’s been a great experience working for the city of South Lake Tahoe. We’ve been through a lot of challenging times,” Vuletich said. “I’ve had wonderful people to work with. There are very talented people here, but I’m ready for new challenges.”
Christine Vuletich
Her last day in South Lake is Feb. 17. Her first day in Douglas County is Feb. 27. Normally people at this level give their boss at least 30 days notice. Not in this case.
Vuletich’s relationship with her bosses has been tenuous at times. This council and previous city councils have had difficulty in getting straight answers from her regarding finances. The same has been true for Lake Tahoe News.
At the council meeting earlier this week regarding redevelopment she wasn’t even the one to address the council regarding all of the financing involved in the decisions being made.
As assistant county manager, her job will be even greater and more diverse than it is in South Tahoe.
Vuletich started in South Lake Tahoe with a salary of $69,000 a year. She is leaving with the pay between $117,240.03 and $142,512.24. The 2011-12 budget is not on the city’s website, so Lake Tahoe News could not find her actual salary. She will be making $109,000 in Douglas County. All staff there took a 5 percent cut in pay for this fiscal year which began July 1, so it’s possible that could be reinstated in the summer. Negotiations with Douglas County bargaining units are just beginning and managers usually get the same increase or cut as the case may be.
Douglas County Manager Steve Mokrohisky told Lake Tahoe News, “(Vuletich) is dynamic. She will be a great fit for Douglas County.”
Vuletich was one of five finalists for the job. Mokrohisky said everyone in South Tahoe spoke highly of her. However, he said no current or former councilmembers were interviewed.
Douglas County has been without an assistant county manager since July when Mokrohisky took over for Michael Brown who moved to Oregon. And it has not had a finance director in more than a year. With two unsuccessful national searches for a finance director, Mokrohisky decided a different approach was needed. Combining the positions into one also saves the county $120,000 a year.
Vuletich will be responsible for Douglas County’s 2011-12 $120 million budget. South Lake Tahoe’s budget this fiscal year is $94.7 million. Taking a job in Minden means Vuletich’s commute will only be 10 minutes.
City Manager Tony O’Rourke is evaluating his options. Next week he expects to name an interim finance director. After 60 to 90 days a decision will be made as to whether that person is right for the job or if a search beyond the confines of city staff should be conducted. O’Rourke told Lake Tahoe News it’s also possible the department could be reorganized.
“Vuletich was one of five finalists for the job. Mokrohisky said everyone in South Tahoe spoke highly of her. However, he said no current or former councilmembers were interviewed.”
That’s funny. I had hoped that maybe Nevada would be a little more responsible in their political practices and hiring policies than California is, but apparently not. Bummer.
The City should initiate a successor search immediately to ensure that whoever their future Finance Director is will be the best person for the job. They need someone with a broad range of professional expertise and professional decorum who will provide new, fresh ideas in this position including department reorganization if necessary. Any in-house candidates wishing to compete for the Finance Director position would have that opportunity but oftentimes the same people just give you more of the same with no new vision.
DogustirumTV, it only gets worse from here
Anyone else find it ironic that here’s another high paying city job with the soon-to-be gone director not living on the south shore and that she’s taking less per year, yet wouldn’t propose upper management revoking the past comparison and classification ‘adjustment’ raise they got three years ago to help balance the City’s budget and save some positions?
Better Future,I thought you were such a well dressed lady, loved your public speaking,mannerisms.
Good luck,best wishes, don’t ever Look back.
Welcome to Nevada,Home better roads ideas,room to grow.
You got a automatic raise just leaving the state Califorina.
If the truth were known, she left because of the King, Tony O’Rourke who no employee of the City can stand, even if you have to take a job that pay’s $10 or $20 thousand dollars a year less, anything is better than O’Rourke.
O’Rourke is dismantling this City and getting rid of all of the good people and replacing them with inexperience, that allows him to micro manage something he knows nothing about.
You folks may think he is saving you money!! Boy are you in for an awakening.
The only way that the City is ever going to recover is to fire the Council and O’ROURKE and get someone that knows what there doing, and it sure is not Hal Cole, Tom Davis, Bruce Greco,Angela Swanson, Clair Fortier or Nancy Kerry, wake up Tahoe.
This has been a Public Service Message.
Good Luck Christine! When everything hits the fan you would have been one of the scape goats if you stayed. I think O’Roarke would be very hard to tolerate.
I hope Christine is happy in Nevada. She was an asset to SLT. With her position vacant, that leaves only 1 other Director position, I think. But wasn’t that the goal? To eliminate the higher paying Director positions and, um what was the word? Outsource everything? THe toxic 20 are next I hear.
First why is the city paying someone so much? And why the massive raises? People will relocate here for much less pay as well. Second, I’d double check the books on this woman. I smell a rotten fish hiding somewhere. Third, the budget needs to become transparent. The citizens have a right to know what’s going on with our money.
Great. Now we start an entirely new set of executive search consultants trying to find a job for yet another scapegoat that will leave soon after finding out how corrupt our city is. Please, at least this time, no clauses that provide pay and benefits to people who leave.
Christine as a breath of fresh air for South Lake. The city was i deep financial trouble and it was her wise guidance that played a major role in setting it straight. Thank you for all your work and the best for future