Greener Grass in Orange County?

Santa Barbara County’s increasingly embattled chief executive Chandra Wallar all but put the county Board of Supervisors on notice early Tuesday morning that she’ll be taking a job as chief executive for Orange County pending final approval by the Orange County supervisors. Wallar’s notice to the S.B. supervisors came via a brief email sent just five minutes before they heard from Santa Barbara News-Press reporter Nora Wallace.

The news caught most supervisors by surprise and came the same day they were scheduled to evaluate Wallar’s performance. That evaluation was put on permanent hold in response to her bombshell announcement. Had the evaluation taken place, it’s doubtful Wallar — who earns $250,000 a year — would have received the same glowing reviews she’s received in the past; after three years at the top spot, the honeymoon is decidedly over. Increasingly, the fourth floor — where Wallar presides — has been defined by rancor and complaints.

County department heads have lamented lack of access to Wallar while complaining of what they describe as a tendency to micro-manage. In recent months, three department heads have either quit or been fired. Wallar’s decision to consolidate Parks and Recreation into a new department with Housing and Community Development has found few fans but many critics. Certainly, the county’s chronic budget shortfalls have added significantly to the strain.