Orange County supervisors on Tuesday unanimously appointed interim Auditor-Controller Jan Grimes as a permanent countywide elected official.
Supervisors Pat Bates and Janet Nguyen both initially voted against appointing Grimes because she told supervisors during public interviews it is unlikely she will run for the office when the current term is up in 2014.
“I’ve never aspired to elective office,” Grimes told supervisors during her interview. “It would not be my intention to run for office. I’m hoping that in that time good candidates would come forward.”
Supervisor John Moorlach, who will be termed out in 2014 and is exploring a run for governor, is often mentioned as a potential candidate for the post.
Moorlach credited Grimes as doing a great job for the county.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Shawn Nelson agreed, saying Grimes in the post offered continuity for the office employees, key software upgrades and for the state’s pending lawsuit against the county over vehicle license fees.
Grimes formally assumes the post left vacant in January when David Sundstrom left to become combined auditor, controller, treasurer and tax collector for Sonoma County on the coast north of San Francisco.