Speculation hovers over status of Postmus

By Lauren McSherry, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/23/2008 11:06:10 AM PDT

With speculation mounting that County Assessor Bill Postmus may be taking a medical leave of absence from his job, it remains unclear if the assessor is required to notify county government of a temporary departure.

"I'm not even sure an elected official could put in for sick leave," said David Wert, county spokesman. "That's how it works with elected officials - they're either in office or out of office."

Under the county charter, elected officials do not receive sick time, vacation time or holidays, Wert said. They also do not need to log the hours they have worked.

"They are assumed to be working 24/7," Wert said.

Unless the assessor is recalled, he would continue to receive his full salary and benefits even if he did not show up to work, Wert said.

The Board of Supervisors can remove an elected official if the official has abandoned his duties without designating someone to act in his stead, Wert said.

A grand jury inquiry, which spun off an investigation by the district attorney and led to the arrest of Postmus' top assistant, chronicled numerous abuses of power within the assessor's office. The grand jury report faulted the assessor for using $1.2 million to hire an executive staff with little experience in property tax appraisal. The report also revealed that staffers has been engaging in partisan politics on county time. It is unclear what may be ailing Postmus.

The former chairman of the county Republican Central Committee and a former chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Postmus was once a rising star within the local Republican party.

But, over the years, the elected positions he has held have come under increasing scrutiny as concerns over questionable behavior have mounted.