Supervisors fire interim chief administrator for improper conduct toward women 

With a month left to close out the year, San Luis Obispo County is on its third top administrator of 2023.

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• File Photo Courtesy Of San Luis Obispo County
• SHORTENED TIME Former interim Chief Administrative Officer John Nilon called the supervisors' decision to fire him "ridiculous" since he already submitted his resignation prior to that.

The county Board of Supervisors terminated the contract for interim Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) John Nilon on Nov. 17, according to a county press release.

Supervisors met in closed session that day to review an investigation of Nilon's alleged improper conduct toward women. They unanimously found that his alleged actions violated the county's discrimination and harassment policy.

Second District Supervisor Bruce Gibson told New Times that the decision to terminate Nilon's contract was straightforward with no disagreements involved.

"The allegations had largely to do with the substance and style of his communications with a number of women both inside and outside the organization," Gibson said.

In the news release, 1st District Supervisor John Peschong said it was mandatory to adhere to county policy.

"The county is committed to providing a work environment where everyone is treated with respect and professionalism," Peschong's statement read. "We expect all employees to adhere to the policy and expect our CAO to exhibit the best judgement when dealing with employees in the workplace."

Assistant CAO Rebecca Campbell replaced Nilon as the acting CAO while the county is poised to start a recruitment process for a permanent administrative leader.

Nilon assumed the role of interim CAO this May after his predecessor, Wade Horton, resigned during a closed session meeting with the Board of Supervisors. Starting May 2, Nilon received a compensation of $11,576 biweekly, which is the highest step of the salary schedule. After three months of employment, his contract automatically renewed every 30 days.

Cambria resident Nilon was a seasoned top official. He spent the last eight years of his 32-year career in Kern County as the CAO where he was credited with slimming down the budget—even criticizing the expenses of the local Sheriff's and District Attorney's offices in the process. He retired in 2016.

He attempted to implement a similar financial streamlining for SLO County this July through a program called Lean Six Sigma that aimed to reduce operational waste and taxpayer expenses.

Nilon referenced Lean Six Sigma in a statement posted on his LinkedIn page on Nov. 17 while explaining that his tenure in SLO County ended with a resignation.

"Today, the Board of Supervisors would like you to believe that I am being terminated for cause," his post read. "First, it is ridiculous to terminate someone who has already resigned. Second, two CAOs and one Homeless Division Director have resigned within the last six months; somebody should connect the dots."

The former CAO claimed he submitted his resignation on Nov. 15. According to Tribune reporting, County Counsel Rita Neal confirmed his resignation submission but added that Nilon's contract required him to work for another 30 days. Neal didn't respond to New Times' request for comment by press time.

The county press release added that the investigation into Nilon's conduct and his subsequent termination are unrelated to the case of an unnamed employee who allegedly misused official funds for personal purchases. The CAO's office detailed in a Nov. 14 statement that the DA's Office served that employee a search warrant at their home and workplace, adding that they were placed on administrative leave. Δ