A seamless transition between outgoing Douglas County Manager Steve Mokrohisky and newly appointed Interim County Manager Larry Werner is now underway after the Douglas County Board of Commissioners approved a six month contract with Werner at its Thursday meeting.
Mokrohisky will spend his last week as County Manager bringing Werner up to speed and including him in numerous meetings with staff and community leaders. An Open House for the community to meet and greet Werner has been scheduled for April 10 from 11:30-1:00pm at the Minden Inn.
"I have great confidence and respect for Larry Werner,” said Commissioner Doug Johnson, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. “We are lucky to have such a highly capable Interim County Manager who will help guide Douglas County through a seamless transition until a permanent manager can be found."”
Werner, a Douglas County resident and retired Carson City Manager, has been appointed to serve for up to six months at a cost of $12,000 per month until a permanent replacement is selected as part of a broad and competitive search effort.
As Interim County Manager, Werner will be working with Commissioners to facilitate productive meetings, managing day to day operations, assisting in the recruitment and transition process, and continuing to lead Douglas County in a positive direction.
Douglas County Manager Steve Mokrohisky announced in late February that he accepted a position as county administrator in Lane County, Oregon. He last day in the County Manager’s Office is April 11, 2014.
Werner served as the Carson City Manager for five years and was instrumental in developing several regional partnerships between Douglas County and Carson City, including public and environmental health, street light maintenance, regional water services and Geographic Information Services.
Prior to serving as Carson City Manager, Werner served as Development Services Director/City Engineer for Carson City, as well as a Principal Engineer for Lumos and Associates, in Minden. He also served as Douglas County’s Public Works Director in 1992-93. Prior to serving as the City Manager, Werner served as Development Services Director and City Engineer for Carson City, as well as Location Principal Engineer for Lumos and Associates, in Minden.
At its meeting on March 20, 2014, the Board of County Commissioners approved the use of consulting firm Peckham and McKenney to lead a search for the next Douglas County Manager. Peckham and McKenney is based on the west coast and has experience in Nevada, including successful recruitment and hiring of Douglas County’s current Chief Financial Officer.
The recruitment for a new County Manager is expected to take approximately 14 weeks, beginning with developing a thorough job announcement which encompasses the needs and key elements for Douglas County. Phil McKenney will visit Douglas County to meet with Commissioners and other leaders to establish the foundation for this recruitment, which will drive the identification of the best candidates for the role.
— Melissa Blosser is the public information officer and community relations coordinator for Douglas County.