New chief for county

Brian Haddix (pictured), Butte County’s new chief administrative officer effective Nov. 7, seems an easy-going guy. Asked during a phone interview if he had a photo of himself, he laughed and said he’d have to ask his wife to take one and send it. His official photo at Tulare County, where he’s been CAO for four years, was too ugly, he said.

Before Tulare, he was under-secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency for five years.

He said he was excited to be coming to Butte County and eager to get outdoors and explore. He will earn $181,850 in the position last held by Paul McIntosh, who resigned to become head of the California Association of Counties.

The county also announced this week that it was hiring Paul H. Gosselin as director of its Department of Water and Resource Conservation. Gosseling also worked at Cal EPA, serving eight years as its chief deputy director. He will earn $125,363 annually.