The program will be held from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at the Contra Costa Country Club located at 8-2 Golf Club Road, in Pleasant Hill. Cost is $35. RSVP or call 934-0505.

$260,004 to run Martinez?

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- Mr. Twa will have a five+ year employment contract that my be extended. His contract will include pay-for-performance provisions (+5/-5).

- Mr. Twa will receive benefits granted to management and elected department heads including auto allowance ($600), deferred comp, professional training dues and expenses. Additionally Mr. Twa will receive a vacation and sick leave plan allowance, relocation assistance ($20,000), and a housing allowance ($2,500) for six months to help with his relocation from Minnesota.

- Data courtesy ABAG and sfgate.com salary database

In addition to HR duties, Gentles has been closely involved in negotiating contracts with various public employee unions. In the memo Gentiles states she will be taking a position with San Francisco State University as the Associate Vice President of Human Resources.

Sources close to the BOS state under condition of anonymity, that Gentles departure foreshadows the arrival of David Twa, who will be building his own executive team in the CAO as well evaluate other current department heads.

Mr. Twa will join Contra Costa County from Ramsey County Minnesota, where has served as the County Manager for the past five years. He has served as the County Administrator in three Counties in Minnesota for over twenty years. In addition to these assignments, Mr. Twa also served as an Elected County Attorney, Interim Property Records and Revenue Director, Executive Director of Housing and Redevelopment Authority, and Interim Director of Public Health and Long-term Care. Mr. Twa received his Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota, as well as a degree in accounting, and is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Under David Twa’s leadership Ramsey County has maintained a AAA credit rating, one of few counties in the country to achieve this distinguished ranking. He also has overseen his county’s efforts to institute a Strategic Planning Program, address Health Care Cost Liability, started a two year budget process, work with community partners to improve public services in the Minneapolis- St. Paul Region, and, institute significant redevelopment projects. “David has demonstrated the creativity, initiative and personal commitment necessary to positively address many issues that confront local government,” said Glover.

Twa was named the County Manager of the Year (2007) by the Minnesota Association of County Administrators, for his innovation in public service. Mr. Twa is married and has three adult children. He is also an avid runner who regularly takes part in marathons.

… the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors is committed to continuing our implementation of an OPEB plan which has and will continue to include many of the (California’ Blue ribbon) Commission recommendations as well as those of our OPEB Task Force, which includes our County Auditor Steve Ybarra and County Treasurer/Tax Collector Bill Pollacek. We are getting excellent advice and putting it into policy.

First of all, we suspect this crafty missive was more likely generated on the 11th floor of the County Administration Building in Martinez for Supervisor Piepho to distribute as her own work. That’s what staff is for, isn’t it…to make the boss look good, right?

Secondly, if the OPEB picture is so rosy as Supervisor Piepho maintains, why is it that practically every non-supervisorial elected county official including the Sheriff, Treasurer, and Assessor have for the first time not endorsed a sitting Supervisor (Piepho), but her opponent, Guy Houston?

What is it that Supervisor Piepho knows—or more likely, John Cullen— that these other elected officials, including the suits that handle the money, don’t know?