Gayle Robertson begins today as Carson City treasurer

Gayle H. Robertson begins today as Carson City’s newly-appointed treasurer after her selection Thursday by the Board of Supervisors.

She said during her interview with board members she would seek election to the office in November, 2016, which is required after such an appointment due to the office being vacant. Robertson, one of three candidates interviewed in a morning board session, was chosen by a 3-1 vote with Supervisor Jim Shirk dissenting and Supervisor Brad Bonkowski having recused himself due to a conflict of interest. Robertson is the wife of Bruce Robertson, an NAI real estate agent in the Carson City NAI office formed by Bonkowski and his partner, Andie Wilson.

City Human Resources Director Melanie Bruketta said later Thursday details were processed quickly so Robertson can start today. City documents show the treasurer’s annual salary is $76,013.

Robertson, chosen over former city Supervisor John McKenna and city Finance Director Nick Providenti, expressed pleasure and surprise at being picked after the trio of interviews. Among her goals, she said, is to assess the city’s current investments. “See if changes need to be made,” she said.

Noting investment of public money requires prudent decisions based on safety, liquidity and yield, she said she will take all into account but noted an interest in return levels.

Robertson is a certified public accountant, as are McKenna and Providenti. She noted all of them were qualified and took note they had local public sector experience, while hers was mostly in the private sector.

During her interview, she advanced that as a plus by saying it offers city government a clean slate, a fresh outlook and access to new opinions. Robertson was named in the aftermath of the resignation in January by Al Kramer, who was the elected treasurer for two decades. Kramer took a post in the state treasurer’s office overseeing state investments.

Robertson is not only going to have to run in 2016 to become the elected city treasurer, if she wants to stay on she’s going to have to face the electorate and any possible challenger again in 2018 based on procedures for securing an eventual four-year term. If she wants to and does clear those hurdles, her first full term would begin in January of 2019. Until last month, Robertson was with Pro Group Captive Management Services as the captive controller for that firm. She’s a graduate of the University of California at Davis in economics and also did postgraduate work at the University of Nevada, Reno. She became a CPA in 1978. She told the board she has been in Carson City 35 years and a CPA longer than that.

Before work with Pro Group Captive Management, Robertson was with Neddenriep & Associates, LLC, in Minden. Prior to that she was a self-employed CPA in Carson City. She was a registered securities representative with Series 7 and 63 licenses in 2002-03, and served on the Nevada State Board of Equalization in 1999 and 2000. That five-member panel handles grievances related to property tax issues, ruling on those matters.

McKenna and Providenti during their interviews touted their backgrounds, McKenna noting his 16 years on the Carson City’s school board and four years as a supervisor and Providenti saying he could hit the ground running as a person familiar with city finance and treasurer’s office staff.

Shirk first moved to name Providenti, but there was no second to that motion.Karen Abowd moved to select Robertson and Lori Bagwell, who unseated McKenna in the last election, seconded that. Mayor Robert Crowell joined them in choosing Robertson. Shirk said he dissented because he thought Providenti was more qualified.