Chapter 2.10
COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER1
Sections:
2.10.020 Administrative head of county.
2.10.040 Attendance at meetings.
2.10.050 Responsibilities for personnel.
2.10.060 Powers and duties—Limitations.
2.10.010 Office created.
The office of the county administrative officer is created and established. The county administrative officer shall be appointed by the board of supervisors and shall hold the office at the pleasure of the board of supervisors as hereinafter provided. The office of the county administrative officer shall not be represented by any association or an agent for employees under his/her supervision. (Ord. 677 § 1, 2007)
2.10.020 Administrative head of county.
A. The county administrative officer shall be the administrative head of the county government under the direction and control of the board of supervisors, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. He/she shall be responsible to provide administrative direction and support to department directors. The county administrative officer shall be the county’s personnel director and purchasing agent and shall also supervise, manage, control and direct the activities of information systems and risk management.
B. Delegation of Purchasing Authority to Elected and Appointed Department Heads. Elected officials and appointed department heads shall have the duties and powers prescribed by the laws of the state of California relating to county purchasing agents, by Chapter 2.32 of this code and by resolutions of the board of supervisors. (Ord. 705, 2013; Ord. 677 § 2, 2007)
2.10.030 Powers and duties.
The county administrative officer shall be the administrative head of the government of the county under the direction and control of the board of supervisors. The county administrative officer shall be responsible for the effective administration of all the operations of the county. In addition to the general authorities and power as administrative head, he/she shall have the duty and powers as set forth in the following subsections:
A. Enforcement. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to work with the department directors to enforce all laws and ordinances of the county and to see that all franchises, contracts, permits and privileges granted by the board of supervisors are faithfully observed.
B. Authority Over Employees. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer, and he/she shall have the authority, to carry out the policies and administrative directions established by the board of supervisors, both current and future, and all legal mandates by managing and directing the administrative functions of all agencies/departments of the county.
C. General Supervision. The county administrative officer shall be responsible for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of the county and the implementation of the policies adopted by the board of supervisors. He/she shall ensure that county policies are distributed and explained to all affected personnel.
D. Policy Formation. The county administrative officer shall analyze and develop policy alternatives, including the consequences of such alternatives and the cost-benefit analysis of such alternatives, to present to the board of supervisors for consideration. The county administrative officer shall advise on matters of policy and administration at board meetings.
E. Administrative Reorganization of Offices. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the county administrative officer to conduct studies and to recommend to the board of supervisors such administrative reorganization of offices, positions or units of the county as may be in the interest of efficient, effective, and economical conduct of the county’s business.
F. Financial Reports. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to work with the county auditor-controller to keep the board of supervisors at all times fully advised as to the financial condition and needs of the county and to present a monthly report to the board of supervisors on the finances and administrative activities of the county.
G. Budget. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to work with the county auditor-controller in the preparation of the proposed annual budget, to evaluate the budget estimates and program requests of all departments, and to transmit the proposed budget to the board of supervisors for review and approval each year.
H. Expenditure Control and Purchasing. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to see that no expenditures shall be submitted or recommended to the board of supervisors except those expenditures approved by the department directors or their authorized representative which expenditures are consistent with established policies and procedures and the adopted budget of the county.
I. Labor Negotiations. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to act as the board of supervisors’ liaison with the county’s designated chief negotiator and to keep the board of supervisors informed as to the progress of meeting and conferring. The county administrative officer shall maintain a high level of knowledge of public sector employment law.
J. Investigations and Complaints. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to make investigations into the affairs of the county and any department and proper performance of any contract or other obligation of the county; further, it shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to investigate all complaints made concerning the county government and the services provided by the county.
K. Board of Supervisors’ Agenda. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to assist the clerk of the board of supervisors in the preparation of the board of supervisors’ agenda, to evaluate departmental and other requests, and to make recommendations on agenda items.
L. Emergency. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer, in periods of extreme emergency when there is not sufficient opportunity for the board of supervisors to meet and act, to act in conjunction with the director of emergency services to take steps reasonably necessary to meet such emergencies.
M. Capital Improvement Planning. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to oversee development of ongoing recommendations for a long-term plan of capital improvements with accompanying financial plans for their accomplishment.
N. Additional Duties. It shall be the duty of the county administrative officer to perform such other duties and to exercise such other powers as maybe delegated to him/her from time to time by ordinance or resolution or other official action of the board of supervisors.
O. The board may review and change the job description contained in this chapter whenever it deems it appropriate to do so. (Ord. 677 § 3, 2007)
2.10.040 Attendance at meetings.
The county administrative officer shall attend all meetings of the board of supervisors, unless excused therefrom by the chair or the board of supervisors, except when his/her removal is under consideration by the board of supervisors.
A. Discussions. The county administrative officer shall present his/her views to the board of supervisors, but may not vote. He/she shall have the power to appear and address the board of supervisors or any of its boards, commissions or committees at any meeting.
B. Recommendations. The county administrative officer shall recommend to the board of supervisors the adoption of such measures, resolutions and ordinances as he/she deems necessary, and shall make reports or suggestions as necessary or as requested by the board of supervisors. (Ord. 677 § 4, 2007)
2.10.050 Responsibilities for personnel.
A. Appointments. The county administrative officer shall recommend to the board of supervisors steps necessary for the selection of qualified candidates to fill nonelected department director positions as vacancies occur within the county.
B. Department Director Meetings. The county administrative officer shall meet on a regular basis with department directors for the purpose of communicating county policies and issues.
C. Nonelected Department Director Performance Appraisals. The county administrative officer shall at least annually prepare draft performance appraisals of nonelected department directors for review and approval by the board of supervisors.
D. Dismissal. The county administrative officer may recommend to the board of supervisors the dismissal or suspension of or other disciplinary action to be taken against any nonelected department director with appropriate documentation.
E. Oversight of County Employees. The county administrative officer shall oversee department director procedures for the hiring, assignment, management, supervision and disciplining of all county employees and shall see that all county staff are appraised at least annually. The county administrative officer shall audit and assure that all performance appraisals are consistent with the respective job descriptions, as well as with all county policies and procedures. (Ord. 677 § 5, 2007)
2.10.060 Powers and duties—Limitations.
It is not intended by the provisions of this chapter to grant any authority to, or impose any duty upon, the county administrative officer which is vested in or imposed by any general law or county ordinance in any other county board, officer or employee and. in particular, elected county officers. The county administrative officer’s functions shall be administrative and not policy-making or legislative. (Ord. 677 § 6, 2007)
2.10.070 Compensation.
The county administrative officer shall serve in an “at will” capacity. The county administrative officer shall receive such compensation as the board of supervisors shall from time to time determine. The county administrative officer shall be reimbursed for all actual and necessary expenses incurred by him/her in the performance of his/her official duties, including those incurred when traveling on business pertaining to the county. The board of supervisors may require preauthorization of expenses. (Ord. 677 § 7, 2007)
2.10.080 Performance review.
The board of supervisors on at least an annual basis shall prepare a written report of the county administrative officer’s performance. (Ord. 677 § 8, 2007)
2.10.090 Removal.
The county administrative officer may be dismissed by a majority vote of the board of supervisors for any reason, with or without cause, upon 120 days’ written notice to him/her of dismissal, except that the county administrative officer shall not be removed with less than a four-fifths vote during the first 120 days following any change in the membership of the board of supervisors. (Ord. 677 § 9, 2007)
Code reviser’s note: See Chapter 2.13 of this code. Ord. 721-16 states: “The Board of Supervisors of the County of Alpine, State of California, do enact Alpine County Code section 2.13, creating the office of County Administrative Officer/Director of Finance and combining the offices described in Alpine County Code sections 2.10, 2.11, 2.12 and 2.40 into a consolidated office as hereinafter stated.”