Madera County Municipal Code Ch. 2.24 Department of County Administration

Footnotes:

--- (10) ---

Editor's note— Ord. No. 229B, § 2, adopted March 17, 2015, amended Chapter 2.24 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Chapter 2.24, §§ 2.24.010—2.24.050, pertained to the department of administrative management, and derived from Ord. No. 229, 1956; Ord. No. 536, 1990; Ord. 229A, 1995 and Ord. No. 536B, 1996.

The department of county administration is reorganized and now includes portions of the former department of engineering and general services, and the duties of the department of county administration are divided into the following three divisions:

A. Finance, which is primarily responsible for developing and controlling the county's budget and long-range capital improvement planning; providing budgetary direction to county department heads; tracking and monitoring revenue sources and correlating expenditures; providing budgetary expertise for other county management staff and elected officials;

B. Legal/risk services, which is primarily responsible for the coordination, billing and completion of routine and contractual legal services for the county; overseeing and administering the county's risk management and insurance programs; developing and implementing policies and claim procedures relative to the county's self-insured liability program; managing the county's self-insurance programs; analyzing contract terms with the county to assure the proper insurance requirements are met; investigating and reviewing claims against the county to evaluate potential liability and settlement possibilities; coordinating litigation; conferring with department managers and employees to assess safety needs; formulating and recommending proposals for establishing and maintaining sound safety practices; conducting or overseeing safety inspections, and arranging for corrective measures where necessary; maintaining liaison with appropriate state governmental agencies concerned with safety standards; evaluating claims and developing recommendations for the claims review committee; negotiating settlements on behalf of the county; managing and coordinating the performance of tasks associated with the county's purchasing function;

C. General services, which is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of multiple functional areas including building maintenance, parks and grounds maintenance, janitorial services, capital improvement, real property and lease management, security services and utilities management.

(Ord. No. 229C, § 1, 10-8-19; Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

The office of county administrative officer is created. The county administrative officer shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the board of supervisors.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

The department and county administrative officer shall have the following responsibilities, functions and duties:

A. Generally advise with, assist, act as agent or representative of, and be responsible to the board of supervisors in all matters pertaining to the efficient administration of such affairs of the county as may be designated by this chapter or the board of supervisors;

B. Enforce all ordinances, resolutions, orders, directives and regulations of the board of supervisors as may be directed by said board;

C. Recommend an annual county budget for the county offices and departments of the county and exercise continuous budgetary control;

D. Recommend a long-term plan of capital improvements accompanied by pertinent financial data and recommendations as to methods of financing;

E. Recommend improved or standardized forms or procedures for the county offices and departments;

F. Recommend desirable consolidations or rearrangements of departments and functions to promote efficiency and economy therein;

G. Conduct continuous research in administrative policies and practices, and make recommendations to the board of supervisors as to the adoption of such policies and practices as will further the orderly, efficient and economic conduct of county business;

H. Subject to the authority and duties of the purchasing agent, make recommendations as to the purchasing of property, equipment and supplies;

I. Direct such central administrative services as may be placed under the direction of the county administrative officer by the board of supervisors;

J. Represent the county of Madera in its inter-governmental relationships;

K. In the event of an emergency situation requiring immediate action, to take such action as may be necessary and prudent to safeguard persons and property and to ensure that safety and order are maintained. Such action may include, but is not limited to, suspension of appointed department heads, the temporary appointment of acting department heads, and such other and further actions as may be reasonably necessary to ensure the proper functioning of county offices and departments until the board of supervisors may exercise its authority to deal with the emergency situation;

L. Provide administrative direction to and exercise, as necessary, the board of supervisors' authority to supervise the operations of the county offices and departments, including those offices and departments headed by elective officers of the county, to the extent the law gives to the board of supervisors the duty and authority to provide administrative direction to and supervise the operations of county offices and departments headed by elective officers of the county; to evaluate at least annually, and report to the board of supervisors on, the job performance of the appointed heads of the county offices and departments; to recommend to the board of supervisors, with respect to the appointed heads of the county offices and departments, such hiring, termination, suspension or other disciplinary or related administrative actions, and salary and benefit adjustments, as the administrative officer deems appropriate.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

To assist in carrying out the powers and duties herein vested in county administrative officer, such officer may call upon any county officer or employee to perform any act which such officer or employee is legally authorized to perform, including the furnishing of any statistical data or other reports required.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

No provisions of this chapter is intended to vest in the county administrative officer any prerogative or duty now conferred by law upon any other office of the county, it being the intention of the board of supervisors only to establish a department and administrative officer to whom the board may delegate the details of certain of its administrative duties to be performed under its authority and direction.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

There is created in the department of county administration the position of deputy county administrative officer — finance. The deputy county administrative officer shall direct and oversee the operations of the finance division of the department of county administration, and shall report to, and perform such other duties as assigned by, the county administrative officer.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

The duties of the deputy county administrative officer for finance and said division shall serve as the county's budget director and assist the county administrative officer pursuant to Chapter 2.24.030(C) of the Madera County Code.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

Editor's note— Ord. No. 229C, § 2, adopted October 8, 2019, repealed § 2.24.080, which pertained to the office of deputy county administrative officer, human resources/operations division created and derived from Ord. No. 229B, adopted March 17, 2015. See Chapter 2.27 for similar provisions.

Editor's note— Ord. No. 229C, § 2, adopted October 8, 2019, repealed § 2.24.090, which pertained to the duties of deputy county administrative officer, human resources/operations and division and derived from Ord. No. 229B, adopted March 17, 2015. See Chapter 2.27 for similar provisions.

There is created in the department of county administration the position of deputy county administrative officer — legal/risk services. The deputy county administrative officer shall direct and oversee the operations of the legal/risk services division of the department of county administration, and shall report to, and perform such other duties as assigned by, the county administrative officer.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

The deputy county administrative officer for legal/risk services and said division shall coordinate the county's routine and contracted legal services and serve as the designated administrator of the county's risk management and insurance programs.

The deputy county administrative officer for legal/risk services shall also serve as the county's purchasing agent and said duties shall coincide with Chapter 2.18.010 of Title 2 of the Madera County Code and include the following:

A. Purchase for the county and its offices all materials, supplies, furnishings, equipment and other personal property;

B. Rent for the county and its offices furnishings and equipment;

C. Engage independent contractors to perform services for the county and its offices, with or without the furnishing of material, where the aggregate cost does not exceed ten thousand dollars;

D. Contract for public works, road, or bridge projects pursuant to the public contracts code and as herein provided;

E. Dispose of county surplus property, sell special district property, and sell and leaseback personal property, as provided in Government Code Sections 25504 through 25507.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).

The general services division is created and shall be responsible for the duties outlined in Madera County Code Section 2.24.010(D). Oversight of the division shall by the county administrative officer or assigned designee.

(Ord. No. 229B, § 1, 3-17-15).