A mere two weeks after Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman abruptly dismissed city Finance Director Rich Hanna without explanation, he was back to work as Kitsap County’s new budget manager.

He replaces Gary Nystul, an “at will” employee who served under longtime Director of Administrative Services William Nogle, who unexpectedly left the county in what remains an inadequately explained rush.

With the county commissioners ordering department heads to cut their budgets by 15 percent over the next two years, Hanna has his work cut out for him. The commissioners also imposed a hiring freeze, but considered Hanna’s position “mission-critical” and exempt from it.

Hanna, who started on Aug. 19 and makes $63,128 a year, is credited with keeping Bremerton solvent in the wake of several years of declining sales and property tax revenues and is recognized as an expert at managing municipal finances.