LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Following the abrupt departure last week of the Community Development Department director, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed the department’s second-in-command to fill the director’s role on an interim basis.
Shortly before noon on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors emerged from closed session to appoint Mireya Turner as interim Community Development Department director, effective immediately.
Turner’s is the seventh appointment the board has made to head the department since the start of 2016.
She succeeds Mary Darby, who took over the job on a full-time basis in October.
“I am honored to take on the interim director position,” said Turner, adding that during her time with the county of Lake, Darby “made great improvements to the department, including building a superb team of qualified and professional staff. I look forward to working with them to achieve the excellent level of public service our residents deserve.”
Turner has served on the Lakeport City Council since December 2014. She’s also served as a board member for the League of California Cities since 2018.
She brings eight years of experience in county and city planning activities. In June, she accepted the position of Community Development’s deputy director, following three years of service with the city of Ukiah, all in management and leadership roles.
Turner previously served in multiple roles with the county of Lake, including service with the Community Development Department and the County Administrative Office. In January of 2013, Turner completed a Master of Public Administration degree.
Last month, Darby tendered her resignation, with plans to continue in the job until Nov. 4.
By the time she announced her resignation, the board had five scheduled closed session performance evaluations with Darby, far more than are held on an annual basis with department heads.
Last Tuesday, the board held a sixth closed session evaluation of Darby.
Three days later, on Friday, Darby announced her immediate departure from the director’s job at the end of that business day, nearly three months ahead of her previously scheduled departure date, according to comments County Administrative Officer Susan Parker made during Tuesday’s board meeting.
As a result, on Tuesday morning, Parker requested the board take up an extra item to consider a closed session discussion to appoint an interim Community Development director, leading to the decision to appoint Turner.
“We are truly excited Ms. Turner has stepped up to assume this interim role,” said Board Chair Eddie Crandell in a written statement released by the County Administrative Office. “Her combination of experience and education, and recent service as deputy director, made her the logical choice. As members of the public will also be aware, recruitment for a permanent Community Development director is ongoing, and we look forward to conducting interviews soon.”
The departure of Darby, who is Black, followed by two months the county’s settlement of a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by the county’s former human resources director, Pamela Nichols.
Nichols, who also is Black, alleged wrongful termination, racial discrimination, infringement of her First Amendment rights to free speech and retaliation.
The settlement paid Nichols $500,000 and required the county to conduct training in the discrimination harassment complaint process, continue its ongoing process of implementing cultural awareness training.
At the same time, the county’s Community Visioning Forum Planning Committee is continuing to meet as part of a stated effort to increase equity and inclusion in Lake County.
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Supervisors appoint Turner as interim Community Development director
- Elizabeth Larson
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