Here's who Merced City Council picked to be the finance director

Merced’s interim finance director was named to the full-time position this week.

Venus Rodriguez has been in the interim spot since August, and was officially hired by the Merced City Council on Monday. She’s worked in Merced since 2001, according to a news release.

The city’s last permanent finance director, Brad Grant, abruptly resigned last March without explanation.

The Merced City Council unanimously selected Rodriguez following a closed session meeting. Her contract is for $144,104 a year plus benefits, according to records.

“Venus has done a fantastic job,” Mayor Mike Murphy said during Monday’s open session. “We’re taking the interim off of her title and happy to do that.”

Rodriguez will oversee a department that handles everything from putting together the city budget to overseeing city purchases, according to a news release. In Merced, the city council has three employees —city manager, city attorney and finance director —who answer directly to the elected officials.

The city is “lucky to add her,” according to City Manager Steve Carrigan. “Venus is a talented executive who can crunch numbers, manage staff, solve tough financial problems, deal with a diverse clientele and explain difficult budgetary situations in easy to understand terms,” he said in a news release.

Rodriguez has held a number of different jobs in Merced, and worked in Watsonville before that, according to a news release.

“I feel privileged and proud to be appointed as the finance officer,” Rodriguez said in the release. “I am eager to help the city move forward. I have a talented staff working with me, and they will help me guide the city through all of the good times and the challenges ahead of us.”

This story was originally published February 7, 2018 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Here's who Merced City Council picked to be the finance director."