Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael Callagy, County Manager
Subject: Introduction of an Ordinance Amending the San Mateo County Ordinance Code to Reorganize County Departments
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Introduction of an ordinance amending Sections 2.00.020, 2.00.040, and 2.00.060 of Chapter 2.00, amending Section 2.16.010 of Chapter 2.16, repealing and replacing Chapter 2.11, and adding Chapter 2.17 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code to reorganize County departments and waive the reading of the ordinance in its entirety.
body
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to the County Charter and Ordinance Code, the Board may create departments to serve the best interest of the County and the public it serves. The Ordinance Code provisions governing departments within the County and the structure of the County Manager’s Office have not been updated in more than a decade.
The County Agricultural/Weights and Measures Division has long been a division within the County Manager’s Office. The Agricultural/Weights and Measures Division serves an important and State mandated function that is separate and distinct from the general operations of the County Manager’s Office. The leader of the division must be a state licensed Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer with specialized knowledge and training designed to protect the agriculture and environment of the County.
The Office of Sustainability is a more recently created division within the County Manager’s Office. The Office of Sustainability was created in July of 2014 to improve the sustainability of the County’s operations and the greater community through work in areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency, resource conservation, alternative transportation, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Office of Sustainability has been a successful addition to the County and will continue to be impactful as environmental and sustainability issues remain important to the County and its residents.
DISCUSSION:
Given the unique and specialized nature of the Agricultural/Weights and Measures and Sustainability divisions, and the likely permanent need for their services, they are more appropriately designated as Departments within the County whereby their Directors will be appointed by the County Manager and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors.
The proposed Ordinance Code changes reflect additional cleanup to the list of County departments, including removal of the Public Administrator from the District Attorney’s Office, an action that occurred several years ago, and the deletion of three composite departments (comprised of multiple associated departments) for which Deputy County Managers historically served as department heads. The revised provisions also add “Assistant County Manager” to sections specifying the terms and authority of the position of Deputy County Manager.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None