Remembering a County Leader Who Made a Difference

The timing of San Diego County government releasing its recommended annual budget for the new fiscal year this week is coincidentally significant.

The annual spending plans by those who lead the county’s government always include some fighting among politicians and public officials and among citizens and journalists over what to spend and what to spend it on.

But the release of the budget comes the same week that we got the news that one of the county’s longtime and most admired and appreciated top executive had died at the age of 71.

Walt Ekard was chief administrative officer for San Diego County for some 13 years.

As the San Diego Union Tribune put it, his friends and former colleagues said he knew how to balance a sense of humor, a strong work ethic and steadfast leadership.

As the former head of the Taxpayers Association that watches over government spending, Walt Ekard helped public officials recognize that “it was OK to reflect on your mistakes and weaknesses, have a good laugh, learn from those mistakes and move forward.”

Having known him professionally for all the years he was the county’s top executive, Walt Ekard was what a government leader should be, wise but humble with a deep sense of integrity.  The kind of leader we could use at all levels of government.

(Photo San Diego Union Tribune)