City of Seattle auditor Susan Cohen will be stepping down this fall, ending an eleven year reign. The Council is looking for someone to replace her, and will be posting on all the hottest auditor blogs and websites as part of its nationwide search. Budget Committee Chair Jean Godden mentioned www.governmentauditors.org and www.auditforum.org among the sites where the job will be posted. So far, plenty of auditor postings on Craigslist, but none from the city. “It’s a very responsible position,” said Godden, who noted that once confirmed, the auditor is independent from the Council and the Mayor. She couldn’t remember what the job pays, though she said it pays well. Neverthless, she laughed when asked if the new auditor’s salary might threaten that of Nickels staffer Robert Mak ($160k per) for the city’s top spot. “It’s no threat to Robert Mak’s salary. I don’t think any of us are a threat to Robert Mak’s salary.”Finally, in case you were wondering, Godden says she won’t be endorsing anyone in the Mayoral race. “Under the circumstances, I’m going to be particularly neutral. I think it’s worth noting that neither of the prominent contenders [i.e. Jan Drago or Greg Nickels] has asked for my support. I think they understand that [an endorsement] could create a lot of uncomfortable situations.” Not that that deterred Bruce Harrell.