Thomas Mauk, who had accepted a job as L.A. County’s chief administrative officer the day before, agreed on Tuesday to stay in Orange County in the same post.
The reversal came after a closed session meeting of the Orange County Board of Supervisors during which the supervisors made Mauk a counteroffer. L.A. County Supervisors had offered Mauk a salary of $270,000.
“The support of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and staff of the county was key to my decision,” Mauk said.
Mauk’s decision to remain in Orange County puts L.A. County officials back to square one in their search for a replacement for Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen, who announced his retirement last summer.
Mauk is not the first to turn down the post. Sandra Vargas, the administrator for Hennepin County, Minn., which includes Minneapolis, took herself out of consideration several weeks ago.
