DATE: November 3, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Paul Nerland, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Revisions to Administrative Policy Number 75 - Community Outreach Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve proposed revisions to Administrative Policy 75 - Community Outreach Services to remove the reference to expenditures for County Service Areas from the list of generally prohibited expenditures, consistent with direction provided by the Board of Supervisors on October 6, 2026.
REPORT
Approval of the Recommended Action will revise Administrative Policy 75 - Community Outreach Services to remove the specific reference to expenditures for County Service Areas from the list of generally prohibited expenditures. The revision is consistent with direction provided by the Board of Supervisors on October 6, 2026, and will provide greater clarity in the application of the policy while maintaining all other requirements of AP-75, including compliance with applicable law and County Counsel review. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may choose not to approve the proposed revisions to Administrative Policy 75, in which case the current policy would remain in effect.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the Recommended Action.
DISCUSSION:
Administrative Policy 75 - Community Outreach Services provides guidance for the use of individual Supervisorial District budgets to support community events and functions. The policy identifies expenditures that are generally allowable and generally prohibited and requires County Counsel review of Community Outreach Services expenditures prior to the expenditure being made.
The current policy identifies expenditures specifically prohibited by law as generally prohibited expenditures and includes expenditures for County Service Areas as an example.
On October 6, 2026, your Board directed staff to revise Administrative Policy 75 to remove the specific reference to expenditures for County Service Areas. The proposed revision removes this reference while maintaining the existing requirements that expenditures comply with applicable law and be reviewed by County Counsel for legal appropriateness prior to the expenditure being made.
The proposed revision is intended to clarify the policy and ensure that individual expenditures are evaluated based on applicable law and the circumstances of the expenditure. Removal of the specific reference does not authorize an expenditure that is otherwise prohibited by law.
The remaining provisions of Administrative Policy 75, including the requirement for County Counsel review and the prohibition on expenditures that do not have a public purpose or are otherwise prohibited by law, will remain unchanged.
Approval of the Recommended Action will revise Administrative Policy 75 consistent with the direction provided by your Board on October 6, 2026.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #6, October 6, 2026
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
AP 75 - Community Outreach Services (Redline)
AP 75 - Community Outreach Services (Clean)
CAO ANALYST:
Samantha Buck