San Luis Obispo County Administrative Officer Wade Horton Resigns on Tuesday

County o cials prepare for nationwide search to nd a suitable replacement

BY HAYLEY MATTSON

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — San Luis Obispo County Administrative O cer (CAO)

Wade Horton has resigned from his position, County Counsel Rita Neal announced following a Board of Supervisors closed session on Tuesday.

Horton’s resignation comes amid a request for his performance evaluation, which was initiated by a member of the SLO County Board of Supervisors several weeks ago. County o cials have not disclosed which supervisor requested the review.

Although the board agenda refers to an “annual performance evaluation” of Horton, this was the rst performance review scheduled since he was appointed as head of the county in 2017. During the closed session on Tuesday, March 21, the board unanimously accepted Horton’s resigna- tion with a 5-0 vote.

“We can’t thank Mr. Horton enough for his honorable and committed dedication to the County of San Luis Obispo,” said John Peschong, the Board of Supervisors Chairman. “He is a true public servant that has made a real di erence in the County throughout his tenure.” e speci c reason behind Horton’s resignation has not been disclosed. In a statement, Horton expressed gratitude for his time serving the county, “It has been an absolute privilege to serve the Board, organization, and residents of San Luis Obispo County for the last 8 years,” he said. “I am proud of all we have accomplished together.”

Horton began working for the county’s Administrative O ce as the County Administrator in 2017. Prior to that, he served as the County’s Public Works Director and the Deputy Director of Utilities/Water for the City of San Luis Obispo.

O cials have announced that the County will soon begin a nationwide search for a new County Administrative O cer to ll the vacant position. In the meantime, it remains unclear who will serve as the interim CAO during the transition period.

As the search for Horton’s replacement commences, the county will undoubtedly seek a candidate with strong leadership skills and a background in public administration. e new CAO will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the county, implementing policies set forth by the Board of Supervisors, and ensuring that the needs of the county’s residents are met.

Horton’s departure signi es the end of a signi cant chapter for San Luis Obispo County, particularly given his crucial role as the County Emergency Services Director throughout the challenging COVID-19 pandemic.

While the speci c reasons for his resignation are yet to be known, the in uence Horton had on the county throughout his tenure, particularly during extraordinary times, will undoubtedly be

Elections

remembered.

As San Luis Obispo County moves forward, both its leaders and residents will certainly be attentive to the individual who will take on the role of the new County Administrative O cer, as well as the trajectory they will set for the county in the upcoming years.

PRJUSD Special Election Vote by Mail Ballots Heading to Mailboxes

Approximately 31,000 VBM ballots were dropped o for delivery

PASO ROBLES — e initial mailing of Vote by Mail (VBM) ballots was dropped at the United State Postal Service Goleta Distribution Center on Monday, March 20. Voters will begin receiving their ballots in the coming days. Approximately 31,000 VBM ballots were dropped o for delivery. Subsequent mailings of VBM ballots will begin next week for newly regis- tered voters in the district or voters that have updated their voter registration information after the initial mailing.

Voters will nd enclosed in their VBM ballot packet their o cial ballot, a voter information guide containing the candidate statements, and a voting instruction page containing an “I Voted” sticker.

Voters may vote and return their ballots as soon as they receive them, no waiting necessary. However, voters are reminded to be sure that their ballot envelopes are “Signed and Sealed, then Delivered.” Voters can return

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their voted VBM ballots from now through Election Day via the mail in the provided postage-paid envelope, in any o cial VBM ballot drop box, or at one of the two County Election O ces located in Atascadero and San Luis Obispo. On Election Day, in addition to those previous options, voters can return their voted VBM ballot at any polling place. Locations for ocial drop boxes and polling places are listed on the County Elections website slovote.com.

Voters can also track their ballots by signing up for a free service