SIMI VALLEY : City Manager Finalist for County Position

Simi Valley City Manager Lin Koester is among the finalists being considered for the job of Ventura County’s chief administrative officer, a city official said.

Councilwoman Sandi Webb said Koester told her that he is interested in the county job--a prospect she called a mixed blessing.

“I think he could straighten some things out up there,” Webb said. “The county is well-known to be in a mess.”

Webb credited Koester with successfully downsizing Simi Valley’s bureaucracy.

“He straightened out our city,” she said. “We went from seven departments to four.”

Koester, who has served as Simi Valley’s top official for about 12 years, was not available for comment Thursday.

The county Board of Supervisors considered a number of applicants during a closed-session meeting Tuesday. But no decision has been reached. County Personnel Director Ronald W. Komers declined to discuss the search process Thursday.

Former Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg resigned late last year to accept a similar position in Santa Clara County. Robert Hirtensteiner has been serving as acting chief administrative officer since Wittenberg left in January.