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Humboldt County Auditor-Controller Cheryl Dillingham, who was elected in June of 2022 and assumed office mere weeks later following the negotiated separation of predecessor Karen Paz-Dominguez, has submitted her letter of resignation, effective Jan. 31.

Dillingham’s departure from county employment will occur nearly two years before her four-year term would have expired. In her letter, she recommends that Deputy Auditor-Controller Mychal Evenson be appointed interim A-C in upon her exit. 

Reached by phone this afternoon, Dillingham said, “I feel that I’ve developed a team and have gotten the office into a position where I’m ready to step down and leave it to a younger generation to move the office forward.”

Her letter of resignation offers a hearty endorsement of Evenson, saying that over the past two years he “has demonstrated the full range of knowledge and skills needed to serve in this capacity and has also shown his commitment to always work with honesty and integrity.” 

“Together, we have recruited and developed an effective and fiscally responsible team in the office,” the letter continues. “I believe that under Mychal’s leadership the department can continue to improve and provide strong financial support, transparency and accountability to the citizens and departments of the county. His education and experience working for the county and in the Auditor-Controller’s office make him not only qualified, but also an exceptional candidate for the job.”

Prior to joining the Auditor-Controller’s Office, Evenson worked as an administrative analyst in the Public Health division of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). A former member of the county’s audit team, he holds a master’s in governmental accounting from Rutgers University.

Evenson launched a brief campaign to unseat Paz-Dominguez in 2021 but dropped out a few months later to support Dillingham.

Dillingham took over the position of auditor-controller at the tail end of a period of severe turbulence and contention surrounding the county’s fiscal management, with bitter inter-agency squabbles, an investigation by the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury and a state lawsuit over the county’s failure to comply with financial reporting requirements. 

Dillingham says she stepped forward when she did because she felt uniquely qualified to take over and address the issues in the office.

“I have a strong commitment to public service,” she said. “And I appreciate the confidence of the voters who elected me. I feel that I accomplished my goals, and I’m ready for the next generation to take over.”