Mittermeier Appoints 3 as Assistant CEOs

County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier began implementing her government reorganization plan Thursday, naming three veteran managers as assistant CEOs in what promises to be the first of several personnel shifts in the county’s executive ranks.

The three officials will work in an expanded CEO’s office that will take on greater control and oversight of most county operations.

The new CEO’s office will also pick up some of the duties now handled by the directors of the General Services and Environmental Management agencies, which are being disbanded in an effort to cut costs.

Michael M. Ruane, currently the Environmental Management Agency director, will become assistant CEO in charge of strategic affairs; Jan Walden, who now heads the human resources department, will become assistant CEO in charge of human resources; and Courtney C. Wiercioch, deputy director of John Wayne Airport, will become assistant CEO in charge of public affairs.

Two remaining assistant CEOs who will oversee technology and financial affairs have yet to be named. Mittermeier announced that she has launched a formal recruitment effort to fill those jobs as well as three other vacant executive posts. The recruitment process will allow people from outside the county--as well as insiders--to apply for the positions.

“Jan wants to strike a balance between the skills we have inside the county and those available outside the county,” Wiercioch said.

Mittermeier said her new government structure removes levels of bureaucracy and provides for more direct communications between staffers and top managers. The changes could result in layoffs, but the scope of staff reductions as well as the overall cost savings won’t be known for several months.

Some community activists, who criticized the restructuring plan for consolidating too much authority in the CEO’s office, said Thursday that they remain troubled by the new power structure.

“It’s beginning to look like a monarchy,” said Bruce Whitaker, a leader of the Committees of Correspondence, a citizens watchdog group. Mittermeier “is positioning herself as the queen of the county,” Whitaker said.

Carole Walters, president of the Orange Taxpayers Assn., questioned the need for five assistant CEOs.

“I think it’s bad that when you are talking about more layoffs, you pack the CEO’s office with more top people,” she said. “We don’t need another layer of management.”

But supervisors and others praised Mittermeier’s selections.

“They are certainly among the best and the brightest in county government,” said Supervisor William G. Steiner. “It’s going to give her a strong team. . . . Obviously, her success as CEO is going to depend on having a strong team.”

Ruane, 38, has served as environmental management director since 1989 and before that held a variety of planning and development posts with the county. As assistant CEO for strategic planning, he will work on regional planning issues and serve as a liaison with other local government agencies.

Walden, 41, has worked for the county for 15 years and was named human resources director in 1995. She will continue to oversee personnel and employee-related matters in her new post.

Wiercioch, 34, has handled government and communications matters at John Wayne Airport for several years and worked under Mittermeier when the CEO was airport director. Wiercioch was also an executive assistant to former Supervisor Thomas F. Riley. As assistant CEO for public affairs, she will handle media relations and legislative advocacy, and will develop new ways the county can interact with the public.

As part of the reorganization, the Environmental Management Agency will be broken up into two smaller departments: Public Works and Planning and Development Services.

On Thursday, Mittermeier named Thomas B. Mathews, now the planning director, to head the new Planning and Development Department. The positions of public works director, clerk of the board and director of internal audits will be the subject of the recruitment drive.

“There is a lot of good talent in county government,” Steiner said. “I expect some of our managers to still rise to the top even with the [outside] competition.”

The officials will take their new posts within the next few weeks. They will keep their current salaries for now, but Mittermeier might modify them later once her reorganization plans are completed.

Mittermeier’s selections do not require approval from the Board of Supervisors.