County can't find new ag official

A four-month search has failed to attract a new agricultural commissioner for Sonoma County, with at least one offer declined.

Sonoma County Administrator Bob Deis had hoped to announce this month that he had a replacement for outgoing commissioner Lisa Correia, whose contract expired this month.

Instead, "we've asked the headhunter to recruit again," Deis said.

At the start of the statewide recruitment process in April, the county hiked the agricultural commissioner's salary from $100,000 to a negotiable salary within the range of $108,000 to $132,000. Deis said the salary won't be raised again, despite the difficulty in attracting someone to the post.

Deis announced last spring that, through mutual agreement, Correia's contract wouldn't be renewed in August. Correia now will remain in the post until a replacement is found, Deis said, and then will move to a job within the department.

Correia, who has been agricultural commissioner since 2004, said she is committed to Sonoma County agriculture. She said it was not yet determined what her new position will be with the county.

The commissioner supervises about 65 employees, a budget of about $8 million and oversees issues including pesticide regulations, threats to agriculture -- such as the light brown apple moth and glassy-winged sharpshooter -- the animal shelter and animal-control services.

Deis said there is a very small pool of qualified candidates, and many of them are near retirement age. By state law, county agricultural commissioners must have certain ag-related licenses and serve for a specific contractual period.

Only about 75 people in California hold the necessary licensing, Deis said, and each of them was approached for the Sonoma County job.

He said he hoped another run at several people who didn't apply earlier this year will result in interviews this time.

In other counties, the commissioner's responsibilities don't always include overseeing animal services, so that part of Sonoma County's job adds to the hiring difficulty, Deis said.

Sonoma County's animal services has been a controversial and problem-plagued department over the past several years. An independent audit in 2006 called for many changes, and the department remains in the midst of those.

Sonoma County's animal shelter has been without a director since December, when Dori Villalon left after one year on the job.

An attempt to fill that post ended earlier this year when a candidate at the last minute accepted an offer elsewhere, Deis said.

An interim shelter director was recently hired, but the job won't be permanently filled until a new agricultural commissioner is hired and can be involved in the process, Deis said.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat

.com.