Douglas County Manager says finance chief pick Christine Vuletich comes highly regarded

After three nationwide searches Douglas County Manager Steve Mokrohisky found the person he wanted for the top finance job right in his own back yard. The pick was Christine Vuletich, the City of South Lake Tahoe's director of finance.
Vuletich has resigned to take the position in Douglas County offered to her this week by Mokrohisky, where she will serve as the assistant county manager/chief financial officer.

Her last day at South Lake Tahoe, Calif., is Feb. 17 and her first day will be Feb. 27 at the county offices in Minden, Nev. She will oversee the finance division, technology and the project management office as well as a host of other responsibilities. Her effective salary is $109,000 after she agreed to a countywide 5 percent salary reduction. She was hired at $115,000.

She replaces Claudette Springmeyer who retired last year in a position that combines the assistant county manager with the director of finance.

Vuletich, who was hired in October 2004 as the director of finance for South Lake Tahoe, has been responsible for the overall operation and oversight of the city's finance department, and has served as primary financial advisor to the city council and city manager.

The City of South Lake Tahoe thanks Christine for her valuable service to the community and city organization, City Manager Tony O'Rourke said.

"Christine was an asset to the City and will be missed. She will enjoy working for Douglas County and County Manager Steve Mokrohisky," said O'Rourke in a statement.

Mokrohisky said he identified six finalists, interviewed five on site and had a full day of interviews with panels from both the lake portion and the valley side of Douglas County.

"Christine stood out among those with her 16-plus years of financial management in the public sector and other management experience," said Mokrohisky. "Her skill set in working with diverse dynamic is highly regarded by staff and the city manager, Tony O'Rourke, and the residents of South Lake Tahoe. She has a high degree of integrity, a strong work ethic and the ability to take on a broader array of issues."

Vuletich praised the work of city employees and said that it was a difficult decision but she is ready for a new challenge. She will also be closer to home because she already lives in Douglas County.

Leaving South Lake Tahoe to serve as the assistant county manager and financial officer will be a "new opportunity and a new challenge for me," she said. "I am really proud of the work we have been able to do here in the city and in the finance department.

"This is a great team and a great group of employees at the city; probably the best team I've ever worked with in public finance in 20 years," she said.

Vuletich leaves South Lake Tahoe having helped the city weather a financial storm through recessionary cuts. Layoffs across the city have been a part of the reorganization and it has been difficult, she said.

"The city has been able to come through four years of recession. It has probably been the most difficult and challenging four years for any public official, especially if your are in finance, whether it is a public agency or private," she said. "It has been rough. I am hoping we have weathered through the four years of economic downturn and the city is in a good position of moving forward and go into the future," she said, noting that before she came, the city had no reserve funds or savings.

"The City Council has been prudent over the years and have been able to maintain our reserves and still operate," she said. " There's been lots of cuts over time, but I think we are certainly in better financial shape than many cities, so looking toward the future I think it is positive."

In October 2011, the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada awarded the City of South Lake Tahoe the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the City's FY 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The certificate is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.