March 2022

The Merge in Sonoma County

Apparently Sonoma County has been having difficulty filling several high level vacancies in county departments.  Therefore, the Board of Supervisors is going forward with a trial merger of the General Services Department and the Department of Transportation and Public Works.

General Services (real estate and property agency) will be under the supervision of Johannes Hoevertsz, Director of Transportation and Public Works for a six month trial period.

General Services has a budget of $45.3 Million and about 108 permanent employees.  General Services is responsible for managing the county’s facilities and property holdings.  The department also handles contracting with outside vendors, maintaining county vehicles and the veterans memorial buildings .

General Services has been responsible for overseeing the county’s energy use and sustainability efforts.  The County Administrator’s Office will absorb that work.

General Services has handled high profile projects including the sale of the closed hospital on Chanate Road which the county auctioned off for $15 Million in November.  This is the department leading county efforts to move county offices to downtown Santa Rosa. 

The Transportation and Public Works department has a $180.1 Million budget and 173 employees.  Mr. Hoevertsz will oversee one of the largest combined budgets and workforces across two dozen departments and agencies with over 4,000 employees.

These changes are approved for a six month trial period.  For these six months, Mr. Hoevertsz will receive a salary of $244,198. 

The Board of Supervisors is looking to permanently fill top positions at the Department of Health Services, the Economic Development Board and Information Technology.