CHAPTER VI
PERSONNEL

Section 20. QUALIFICATIONS.

(1) An elective officer of the county:

(a) shall be a legal voter of the county and

(b) shall have resided in the state six months immediately before assuming office.

(2) In addition to the foregoing qualifications, the Sheriff, Assessor, Treasurer, Clerk, County Legal Counsel and Surveyor shall have those qualifications as prescribed under this charter and state law. [Amended March, 1993]

(3) Appointive personnel of the county shall have whatever qualifications the Board of County Commissioners prescribes or authorizes.

Section 21. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF COUNTY OFFICERS.

Nomination of a candidate for an elective county office shall be as prescribed under state law. Candidates for elective office may petition for office. Petition shall be signed by fifty legal voters of the county and submitted to election officials at least seventy days before the election at which the office is to be filled. No person may sign more than one petition pertaining to a single office to be filled at a single election. Election of a candidate so nominated shall be in the manner prescribed by state law for electing candidates to county offices.

Section 22. RECALL.

An elective officer of the county may be recalled in the manner, and with the effect, now or hereafter prescribed by the constitution and laws of the state.

Section 23. VACANCIES IN OFFICE.

A county office shall be deemed vacant:

(1) for any cause prescribed by state law for county offices, or

(2) upon the failure of the person elected or appointed to the office to qualify therefore within ten days after the time for his term of office to begin.

The Board may prescribe additional causes of vacancies in appointive offices.

Section 24. FILLING OF VACANCIES.

(1) The Board shall publish notice of a vacancy to be filled by appointment in newspapers of general circulation in the County. This notice shall request qualified individuals to apply to serve until the person elected at the next general election takes office by filing an application with the Board of Commissioners. The Board shall appoint a qualified person to the vacancy from the applications received. The Board shall fill a vacancy within 30-days after the occurrence of the vacancy.

If the Board does not have a quorum because of vacancies on the Board, the power to appoint, to fill such vacancy, is thereby transferred to a Temporary Board composed of the other elective administrative officers. [Amended May, 1992]

(2) A vacancy in an appointive office of the county shall be filled by the Board or pursuant to its authority.

Section 25. COMPENSATION.

(1) The compensation and job related expenses of personnel in the service of the county shall be fixed annually by the budget committee.

(2) The combined total yearly salary and county provided fringe benefits of a Josephine County Commissioner shall not exceed thirty-thousand dollars. Any proposed increase in either salary or benefits beyond that amount shall require voter approval.

When such a proposal is presented to the people it shall be clearly worded on the ballot that it is a pay increase request and shall include both the percentage and the amount of the increase requested. Any such salary or benefit increase shall extend for no more than four years after the date of voter approval at which time it shall expire.

To eliminate cost any such salary or benefit increase proposal shall be voted on only during a statewide primary or general election ballot.

Any necessary reductions in salary or benefits to comply with the charter provision shall be implemented within 90-days after approval of this amendment.

(Federal or State mandated programs requiring employer contributions shall be exempt from this provision.) [Amended May, 1990]

Section 26. PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION.

The Board shall provide for the establishment and administration of a system of personnel administration for the county.

Section 26.5. INVESTIGATION OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT OF AN ANIMAL.

Requires that Animal Control Officers make all domestic animal, poultry, livestock and abuse or neglect investigations in Josephine County. [Amended November, 1990]