Dateline: Mariposa County California
Latest news: August 20, 2014

Richard Benson CAO submitted his resignation on August 13. There was no other information but a press release in the printed news media that he had submitted his resignation and was planning to retire. Nothing more.

All attempts to gain the effective date were rebuffed.

Low and behold there was a closed session item on the August 19 agenda.

The Chairman of the BOS reported out on this session that the resignation was effective December 12, 2014 and that Benson would be put on “administrative leave” starting September 12. Why!!

This was a subterfuge giving him the equivalent of a 3 months paid vacation.

Want Ad Mariposa County

1. Fire Chief

2. Director of Public Works

3. CAO

We will dumb down the position as we did the last time we needed a Public Works Director and a prospect did not meet the qualifications.

We have salary listings, but come on, dicker with us and we will probably give in to your needs.

We will not fire you, but will put you on 3 months paid administrative leave after you give us your resignation dated 3 months in advance, if things do not work out

We have a policy in place to give 3 months separation if we fire you, but come on firing would not look good for either of us.

We have a Board of Supervisors who do all this under cover of closed sessions and the taxpayers of the County are kept in the dark.

So come to Mariposa, stay awhile, get 3 months “Paid Administrative Leave” if things don’t work out.

You probably will be hired in secret and the taxpayers will not know you have been hired or even considered for the position until you will suddenly be introduced at a board meeting.

You don’t have to live here, and will probably be allowed to work a 4 day week so you can commute.

I’m sure there will be a relocation bonus, if necessary.

Mariposa a place you want to come to?

Ruth Catalan
Mariposa, CA