ORANGE COUNTY IN BANKRUPTCY : BOND TICKER : Popejoy Won’t Anoint Moorlach

County Chief Executive Officer William J. Popejoy has asked the Board of Supervisors to form a screening committee of finance professionals who would select the most qualified person to become the county’s next treasurer.

Popejoy’s recommendation, detailed in a memo to the supervisors last week, comes despite support from a majority of supervisors to give the job to John M.W. Moorlach, the certified public accountant who ran unsuccessfully against then-Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron in June. During the campaign, Moorlach was the first to publicly express concerns about Citron’s risky investments, which led to the collapse of the county investment pool.

“I respectfully submit that it would be highly irresponsible to select an individual without the qualifications and abilities required for the task at hand and as a result compound and continue the problems of the office,” Popejoy stated in his Feb. 17 memo.

“We must take advantage of this opportunity to get the best talent available and set the tone for future treasurer’s office operations,” he added.

Thomas E. Daxon is the county’s acting treasurer, appointed by the Board of Supervisors after Citron’s resignation Dec. 4. His assignment has always been temporary and he is expected to leave the post and become Oklahoma’s finance director at the end of March, county officials said.

A majority of supervisors came out in favor of appointing Moorlach to the job following Citron’s resignation. Although the job is an elected position, the board has the authority to appoint someone to fill the remainder of Citron’s term, which expires in 1998.

Moorlach said Tuesday that he is still interested in the job.

“I’m a man who stood up to the plate and called it extremely accurately and am still willing to serve my community,” he said. “I’m happy to serve. But if they don’t want me to, that’s fine.”

--Complied by Shelby Grad, with Matt Lait and Eric Bailey.