In what can only be described as a bombshell revelation, Josephine County’s former Finance Director has broken her silence following her recent resignation—offering the public a rare look inside the dysfunction, disrespect, and decision-making failures that may be quietly undermining local government.
In a candid, pointed letter addressed to the citizens of Josephine County, former Finance Department staff member Sandy Novak paints a troubling picture of why someone would walk away from a secure position with a 2.5% mortgage interest rate, 10 years in Oregon PERS, and a team she’d built from scratch. The reason, Novak says, wasn’t money. It was the complete collapse of trust, professionalism, and integrity at the highest levels of county leadership.
“Greed?” Novak writes. “Look at that voluntary resignation package she received! The fact is that 300 hours of work would have been paid regardless. Giving up a well-paid, satisfying job doesn’t pencil out with that small of a severance package.”
Instead, Novak describes a workplace where a Finance Director is expected to do far more than balance numbers. She’s expected to educate commissioners on government policy, enforce compliance with state and county financial rules, and say “no” when a directive violates the charter. That “no,” Novak suggests, is what triggered an unraveling of respect.
The letter describes one disturbing incident in which the Finance Director, after standing her ground, was reportedly mocked by a commissioner during a public meeting—so egregiously that it culminated in the public seeing “a woman executive being invited to sit on a Commissioner’s lap.” The statement underscores the hostile and dismissive treatment she faced for doing her job ethically.
Novak also ties the director’s resignation to a wider pattern of political overreach and abdication of duty. In a move that shocked many in local government, Commissioners Chris Barnett and Ron Smith allegedly delegated their authority to newly appointed Commissioner Andreas Blech, allowing him to restructure county operations with little oversight. Blech, notably, only received two votes in a prior election and was not elected to office by the public.
One of Blech’s first major moves? Appointing Michael Sellers—a former IT staffer—as County Manager, the very position he had long pushed to create. Novak reveals that Sellers is now in charge of defining the role, choosing his own compensation, and even overseeing the county’s finances—despite what she says is a lack of demonstrated knowledge in government accounting standards or financial management.
To those paying attention, these actions echo warnings made during the recent Charter Review Committee meetings. When the topic of a County Administrator came up, one attendee raised the alarm that the role could easily become a “highly political” position. That concern now appears prophetic.
“Neither Barnett nor Smith have shown the ability or even the motivation to understand the ramifications of the decisions they’ve made,” Novak writes, calling on both to resign. She also calls for Blech to step down, citing his lack of public support and experience. Sellers, she adds, should return to the IT department until he can prove competency in budget management and financial operations.
Novak’s message is clear: Josephine County’s leadership crisis is not just about policy disagreements—it’s about a fundamental breakdown in trust, transparency, and accountability. And unless residents get informed and engaged, the “marble nuthouse” will keep spinning without oversight.
This letter isn’t just a resignation follow-up—it’s a red flag waving in front of every taxpayer in Josephine County. If you care about how your government functions, Novak suggests it’s time to start showing up and asking questions.