SLO County extends contract for top administrative officer. Here’s how much he’ll be paid

Stephanie Zappelli, John Lynch
·2 min read

The man filling in San Luis Obispo County’s top administrative officer will stick around a bit longer.

On Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to extend John Nilon’s position as interim county administrative officer, overseeing the county budget and staff.

After Wade Horton resigned as county administrator post in March, the board picked Nilon to fill the position for three months with the option to renew the contract on a month-to-month basis, a staff report said.

Nilon’s first day on the job was May 1.

The new contract extends his employment to May 1 , 2024, with automatic renewal every 30 days.

County staff recommended that the board extend Nilon’s contract to “move important initiatives forward and set the county and the prospective CAO up for continued success,” the staff report said.

Nilon makes an hourly wage of $144.77, the staff report said.

During the past three months, the county paid Nilon $84,244 including benefits, the report said, and another nine months will cost the county $252,675.

A Cambria resident, Nilon worked for Kern County for 32 years — spending eight years as county administrative officer. He also held leadership roles at the Kern Medical Center as well as the Kern County Public Health Services Department, Kern County Child Support Services and Kern County Employers’ Training Resource.

After retiring, Nilon went on to serve on various boards and commissions, including the Cambria Community Healthcare District.

“The county plans to partner with CPS HR Consulting and begin a nationwide recruitment in the beginning of 2024, to fill the permanent CAO role,” the staff report said.

Why did SLO County need new administrative officer?

Horton announced his resignation before a performance review at a March 21 Board of Supervisors meeting.

On May 15, he started his new job as Santa Barbara County’s assistant executive officer.

Horton has not publicly announced why he resigned, and declined The Tribune’s interview requests.

He will left the county with a $146,000 severance package.

The county and Horton also signed a non-disparagement agreement, promising not to “disparage, defame, discredit, malign, ridicule or slander” each other.