LAKEPORT, Calif. – The county's Public Works director has resigned.
Brent Siemer, reached at his home late Wednesday, confirmed to Lake County News that he has left his job, effective immediately.
Siemer, 54, walked into a closed session with the Board of Supervisors shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday for a performance evaluation. His resignation was handed in the next morning.
“What I've communicated to my staff was that I have not been able to meet the board's expectations for my position as director so I've tendered my resignation,” Siemer said Wednesday.
As to what those expectations were that he couldn't meet, Siemer said, “I wouldn't be able to articulate them specifically.”
He said he has not been a party to the board's plans for filling his job, but said he believes the department can continue to run smoothly in his absence.
Lars Ewing, who came on as assistant Public Works director last July, “jumped in the saddle really well and I know that he'll help carry the department forward in the interim,” Siemer said.
Siemer's performance had been a scheduled topic of several closed session board discussions, based on board agendas for Oct. 19, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, but he said he was not actually called before the board on those occasions and that the evaluations were not held.
He was hired in November 2007 – and started in April 2008 – to succeed Gerald Shaul, the retiring Public Works director. At the time he was hired Siemer was the city of Eureka's engineer.
Siemer, who grew up in Santa Rosa, said he's going to start looking for new job opportunities.
“Probably we'll be looking outside the county,” he said.
County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox said the Board of Supervisors will be taking up the matter of filling the Public Works director's spot at next Tuesday's meeting.
Cox added that the board may make an interim appointment at that time.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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