Uncertainty surrounds employment of county administrative officer

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San Benito County is keeping quiet on the status of County Administrator Officer Ray Espinosa  following a special closed-session meeting of the board of supervisors. The meeting agenda showed that it was closed for discussion of a public employee appointment, which is standard procedure. Following the closed session, Supervisor Angela Curro said there was no reportable action. 

Espinosa was not present in the chambers before the board called for closed session. Instead, Deputy CAO Henie Ring was present. 

San Benito County Board of Supervisors before going into close session May 23, 2024 to discuss the county administrative officer position. Photo by Noe Magaña.

A news release from the county distributed that day at 7:20 p.m., states “As of now, the circumstances have changed around the stepping down of the CAO. This personnel matter is being reviewed and more information will follow.”

BenitoLink called all the supervisors for comment. Supervisors Dom Zanger, Kollin Kosmicki and Mindy Sotelo immediately responded. Zanger directed BenitoLink to the county’s public information officer Rosemerry Dere who said she can’t confirm if the position is vacant but said Ring is overseeing the daily operations.

Dere added the soonest the board can meet to discuss the situation in closed session is June 4. Until then, there won’t be any changes, she said.

Kosmicki said because it was a closed session item he is not legally allowed to discuss it.

Sotelo said, though it’s frustrating, what was said in the news release is all that can be known about the current status.

“When its personnel we have to be careful and respect all sides,” she said. “Right now that’s what we’ve got. Everything is up in the air.” 

According to the latest employment contract, Espinosa was first hired as county administrative officer in November 2013. He is under contract through Feb. 7, 2026. 

Under the agreement, Espinosa receives a salary under step G, which according to the county’s employment title and pay plan, pays him $140.4371 per hour, or approximately $292,000 a year (assuming a 40-hour week). He is eligible for severance pay equalling a year’s salary if terminated for reasons other than “just cause,” which is defined in the contract as “neglect of duty, malfeasance or misconduct in office, or other good cause shown.”

Espinosa’s hiring and qualifications were the focus of a 2013-14 Civil Grand Jury report, which found the county lowered the position’s educational requirements in order to appoint him. According to the report, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Almeda University, which was not an accredited institution.

“In order to make the appointment, the [Board of Supervisors] felt the need to amend the ‘qualifications’ section of the ordinance to include, ‘governmental administrative experience’ as a substitute for baccalaureate degree from a college/university,” according to the civil grand jury. 

The change was approved in October. 

Timeline of events of County Administrative Officer Ray Espinosa’s hiring. Image from the Civil Grand Jury 2013-14 report.

The Civil Grand Jury, though founded by the county, is an independent group of volunteers mandated by the California State Constitution to research and investigate government departments, agencies, and officers. 

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