County to hire first woman and Latino administrator

Contra Costa County’s new administrator will be the first woman and Latino person to occupy the position in the county’s 171-year history.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to appoint Monica Nino to the top staff job at a meeting Tuesday. Current Administrator David Twa will retire from his position at the end of this year and plans to return to his home state of Minnesota.

Nino, who has served as the administrator of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, said in an interview that her focus from the start will be on health care.

“In San Joaquin County, we’re probably one of the smallest counties with a hospital that also has a trauma center,” Nino said. “Whether you’re in a recession or a positive economic time, health care is not an inexpensive service for government to deliver.”

She noted that Contra Costa County’s government has a larger budget than San Joaquin or Stanislaus counties. But Nino said her experience navigating high unemployment numbers in the latter two counties will help her bring forth solutions in Contra Costa.

“We’ll be looking at how can we more effectively distribute services so underserved populations can gain a level out of poverty or unemployment, and so they can provide a greater home for themselves and their families,” Nino said.

The starting base pay for the county administrator is over $345,000, according to county documents.

In 2019, Twa made over $517,000, including total pay and benefits, according to Transparent California. His base pay was around $361,000.

Twa joined Contra Costa County in 2008 after serving as a county attorney in Minnesota. He didn’t respond to a request for comment on this story.

Nino will bring a “strong financial background and a commitment to diversity, equity and justice for underserved populations,” Supervisor John Gioia said in an interview.

“The county is a social safety net,” Gioia said. “(Nino) worked her way up from a relatively entry-level position to county administrator in Stanislaus. She understands the full range of county services.”

Supervisor Candace Andersen, the current board chair, said Nino’s financial experience and good communication skills will help the county navigate funding for services among its departments.

Though the county will have spent much of its CARES Act funding on coronavirus relief by the end of the year, Andersen said it will be vital for the new hire to handle the county’s $3.5 billion budget wisely amid the ongoing pandemic.

“This isn’t the time to bring in someone with a steep learning curve,” Andersen said. “We need someone who can step right in and carry us forward.”