DATE: October 31, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean Rousseau, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Creation of the Office of County Hearing Officer
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Conduct second hearing and adopt Ordinance amending Ordinance Code of the County of Fresno, Title 2 - Administration, by adding Chapter 2.81, relating to the creation of the Office of the Fresno County Hearing Officer; and waive reading of the ordinance in its entirety.
REPORT
Approval of the proposed Ordinance would create the Office of Fresno County Hearing Officer ("Office"), create five County Hearing Officer positions and specify the general powers and limitations for hearing officers. Following the second hearing, staff would return with ordinance amendments and resolutions to authorize the Board to delegate appeals from administrative actions to the Office for final resolution and refer quasi-legislative matters to the Office for recommendations to the Board.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the Office will not be created, and matters that might otherwise be delegated to the Office shall continue to be heard by the Board of Supervisors or pursued in the civil courts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Net County Cost associated with the recommended action for FY 2017-18 is not expected to exceed $100,000. The Hearing Officers, experienced attorneys-at-law, would be employed as independent contractors, or part-time or full-time employees of the County. Funding for implementation of the Office of the Fresno County Hearing Officer is available in the Interest and Miscellaneous Expenditures Org 2540 to cover the Net County Cost. Savings are anticipated from the decrease in civil litigation costs; however, at this time the savings are not measurable. Therefore, no savings are included as an offset to the estimated Net County Cost.
DISCUSSION:
The jurisdiction of the County of Fresno is broad, encompassing frontline law enforcement, pu...
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