MENDOCINO Co., 3/5/18 — Mendocino County’s new agriculture commissioner, Joe Moreo, resigned on Friday after only five days on the job. Moreo previously worked as ag commissioner for Modoc County.
Until a new commissioner can be appointed, the Mendocino County Ag Department will be administered by Diane Curry, assistant ag commissioner, who served as the interim commissioner between the departure of Chuck Morse and the arrival of Moreo, according to county’s CEO Carmel Angelo. The cannabis program, which includes cannabis cultivation that had been overseen by the ag department, will be now administered under the new cannabis program manager, Kelly Overton, who began in the position last week. That position is organized under the CEO’s office.
“He decided that the job wasn’t what he thought it would be and so he left. It’s happened before, that people have come to Mendocino County and it’s not quite what they thought,” said the Mendocino County CEO Carmel Angelo, by way of explanation. The ag commissioner is an appointed position, selected by the Board of Supervisors, and Angelo said she “…will bring the item to the board in closed session, get direction from the board as to how they would like to proceed.” The next BOS meeting is next Tuesday, and the agenda will be published Thursday evening. Angelo noted that while it is a “pretty full agenda,” the importance of the item is likely to mean the supervisors will take it up next week.
Angelo also noted that Curry is certified to cover all the requirements of the ag commissioner position, stating, “Our assistant Diane Curry has all the credentials needed, she also has them for weights and measures, so we will not be without a qualified ag commissioner.” Angelo added, “For the longest time [Curry] did not have all the certifications, but she has them now.” The CEO could not provide additional information as to whether the supervisors would be considering other applicants who had applied along with Moreo.
By Kate B. Maxwell, [email protected]
