CATTARAUGUS COUNTY
VandeCar to fill new post as aide to Searles
LITTLE VALLEY — Jeff Vande- Car, comptroller of Cattaraugus County Nursing Homes, was named Wednesday as the new deputy to County Administrator Jack Searles — just one week after the new position was approved by the County Legislature.
Searles made the announcement in a memorandum to legislators that was distributed to them as they met in committees Wednesday. The memo noted that VandeCar’s move will be effective Monday and will be followed by a request to the Legislature’s Vacancy Committee to immediately authorize a search for a replacement nursing homes comptroller.
VandeCar will be paid an annual salary of $71,500 — near the maximum salary range of $62,500 to $72,900 that was established for the job. In the coming weeks he will continue 2009 budget preparations for the county’s two nursing homes, year-end close-out of accounts and other financial activities.
“His primary duty to the best of his ability will be to step up to the plate to assist me in drawing up the 2009 tentative county budget,” Searles said.
VandeCar began working for the county in September 1998 as an accountant with the nursing homes and was appointed to the position of comptroller in August 2002.
“He has all the skill sets that I was interested in,” said Searles, noting he looked at several other candidates before making his appointment.
The deputy slot was created as the administrator’s appointee after the legislators added more definition to Searles’ duties, requiring him to meet regularly with department heads for performance evaluations and to take a lead role in recommending reappointments and selection of new department heads, while budgeting for carry-over grant funds.
Searles said that the next task is to begin recruitment for a new nursing homes comptroller. There are several other positions for which the county is recruiting, including a director of nursing homes in the wake of a Sept. 11 resignation letter from Director John Ognibene.
According to Searles, Ognibene will leave his post Oct. 10 to begin a new job at another nursing home. The county is also searching for a director of the Department of Aging, which is filled in the interim by former department Director Cherianne Wold.
Searles said the details of his new job description have yet to be worked out to determine his role in helping choose candidates for these and other positions.
Lawmakers sent three proposals related to the Oct. 13 merger of Human Resources and Risk Management departments on to the Legislature for action next Wednesday.
