Efforts to hire a Riverside County historian, a position axed during budget cuts nearly six years ago, have hit a snag.

The top candidate was lured to Santa Clara County, prompting Riverside County parks and personnel officials to start over in their search.

"We really want to fill this position as soon as possible," said Brian Loew, assistant general manager for the county's natural and cultural resources, "but with someone who is fully qualified, not just the best of the applicants available."

When Dana Peak turned down Riverside County in favor of a job in Silicon Valley, Loew and personnel officials decided to begin another round of advertising in newspapers, trade journals, government listings and Internet job postings. It may be three to four months before a new batch of candidates can be considered, he said.

Citing concerns that some of the county's historical treasures may be at risk from development or vandalism, supervisors agreed in July to allocate $63,000 to reinstate the position eliminated in April 1995.

Supervisor Bob Buster, whose 1st District stretches from south Riverside to Temecula, pressed for the position. The previous county historian played a crucial role in preserving the historic Vail Ranch site near Temecula, Buster said. If a historian had been in place last year, he said, the Pechanga Indians might not have filed a lawsuit over grading at a French Valley construction project.

When the historian position was revived, Buster and other county officials hoped the job could be filled in a few months.

Although no historic county sites have been lost because of the lengthy hiring process, the rapid pace of development in Buster's district has heightened the need for the position to be filled, said Paul Frandsen, general manager of the county's Regional Parks and Open Space District.

Historical preservation is a specialized field, and the county netted only five qualified candidates among the 16 who applied for the job, which pays $38,700 to $47,300 a year.

When Peak, who spent six years as the historic-preservation planner for Jackson, Miss., was offered the post, she was being considered for a job in Santa Clara County.

The Cornell University graduate picked Northern California despite Riverside County's offers of relocation assistance and a higher starting pay scale than new employees typically receive, Frandsen said.

Peak chose Santa Clara County, she said, because she wanted to be close to relatives who live in the Bay Area.

"I was feeling the pull toward the north, but Riverside County was as good as gold," she said. "They were a huge draw to me also."

Tim O'Leary can be reached by e-mail at toleary@pe.com or by phone at (909) 587-3133.