DATE: December 17, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Buddy Mendes, Supervisor District Four
SUBJECT: Administrative Policies
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve revised Administrative Policy 29 - Board of Supervisor Meetings; and
2. Approve and Adopt new Administrative Policy 79 - Board Referrals to Staff.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will revise an Administrative Policy (AP) to be in line with Board authority and approve a new AP for Board Referrals of staff work. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could choose to not approve the proposed AP revision or the new Policy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended actions.
DISCUSSION:
Approval of the recommended actions will revise a current policy and create a new Board policy. The first recommended action will revise AP 29 - Board of Supervisor Meetings to reflect the authority of the majority of the Board more appropriately. The second recommended action will approve and adopt a new AP for Board Referrals to staff.
Currently AP 29 provides for the Chairman oversee Board meetings and the participation of the public during those meetings. The County Charter provides that the Chairman presides over Board meetings; however, the authority of the Board is based on the majority except when a 4/5 vote is required such as with increases in adopted budget appropriations, resolutions of necessity, and resolutions of intention to sell or lease County property. Approval of the first recommended action will revise AP 29 to reflect the authority of the Board more appropriately.
The new AP 79 - Board Member Referrals to Staff will put in place a process to allow for a majority of the Board to review and vet requests of staff time and other County resources by individual Board Members.
AP 79 will provide for the following:
• Board approval for use of staff in excess of eight hours; and
• Board approval for use of County resources including the Public Information Team.
It should be noted, by definition, Board Referrals to staff shall not include requests from Board Members to provide information in support of constituent questions.
The CAO and in the case of legal matters County Counsel, are responsible for reviewing requests from Board Members for staff time and resources and delegating these referrals along with constituent questions.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Tracked Changes Draft of AP 29
Final Draft of AP 29
Final Draft of New AP 79
CAO ANALYST:
Samantha Buck