SUBJECT
Title
ADOPT REVISIONS TO THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RULES OF PROCEDURE REGARDING SELECTION OF OFFICERS AND ADOPT AMENDMENTS TO BOARD POLICIES TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR STAFF WHEN THERE IS AN UNANTICIPATED VACANCY ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
In less than two years, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has experienced two extended vacancies on the Board. The unexpected nature and duration of these vacancies has highlighted gaps in County processes that must be addressed to provide clarity for future Board Members and their staff, if or when, similar events occur in the future.
One topic of needed clarity in the Board’s Rules of Procedure is the term of the Board Officers that are defined as the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Chairperson Pro Tem if they are not chosen within 30 days of the first regularly scheduled meeting in January. An additional gap in the Board’s Rules of Procedures is the inability to remove a Board Officer.
Lastly, the most concerning aspect of a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors is the lack of representation suffered by constituents, businesses, and stakeholders in the District. When the District no longer has a serving Supervisor, residents lose their strongest voice in County government and in the decision-making process. However, losing their elected representative should not mean that the community be voiceless overall or lose access to County services from the District office. This can be accomplished by allowing District staff to continue in their positions until their services are no longer needed or until a new Supervisor has been sworn in.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
SUPERVISOR JOEL ANDERSON
1. Adopt a resolution entitled RESOLUTION AMENDING THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS that amends Rule 5 regarding the selection process for the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Chairperson Pro Tem (Attachment 1).
2. Adopt amendments to Board Policy A-38, “Management of Board of Supervisors General Office Operations and Budget and Administrative Support to Board Offices,” (Attachment 2) and Board Policy A-39, “Process to Fill Vacancies on the Board of Supervisors,” (Attachment 3) to provide staffing continuation in District offices in the event a Member has left office or is otherwise unable to perform their duties.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Adopting these recommendations would, in the event of future Board vacancies, allow for the equitable continuation of services by District staff to residents within the Supervisorial District being vacated.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with Recommendations 1 and 2. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
Funds for the action requested in Recommendation 2 to retain staff are included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operational Plan based on existing staff time in the Board of Supervisors funded by General Purpose Revenue. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
Adopting these recommendations would, in the event of future Board vacancies, allow for the continuation of services by District staff to businesses within the Supervisorial District being vacated.
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
In less than two years, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has experienced two extended vacancies to the Board. The unexpected nature and duration of these vacancies has highlighted gaps in County processes that must be addressed to provide clarity for future Board Members and their staff if or when similar events occur.
One topic of needed clarity in the Board’s Rules of Procedures is the term of the Board Officers that are defined as the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Chairperson Pro Tem if they are not chosen in within 30 days of the first regularly scheduled meeting in January. The County Charter and the Board’s Rules of Procedure require that the Board select a Chair, Vice Chair, and Chair Pro Tem at their first meeting in January, or within 30 days thereafter.
The Board’s Rules of Procedure, Rule 5, dictates the process for selection of the Board’s officers, as well as how vacancies are handled. Currently, the Rules states that the term of the Board Officers is for a period of one year, but the spirit of the clause indicates that the term should only be for the calendar year, independent of when the officers are selected.
An additional gap in the Board’s Rules of Procedure is the inability to remove a Board Officer. This Board Letter provides a clear path to remove and replace a Board Officer as needed at the direction of the Board.
Lastly, the most concerning aspect of a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors is the lack of representation suffered by the constituents, businesses, and stakeholders in the District. When the District no longer has a serving Supervisor, residents lose their strongest voice in County government and in the decision-making process. However, losing their elected representative should not mean that the community be voiceless overall or lose access to County services from the District office. Community members deserve as much continued access to County services and representation as possible. This can be accomplished by allowing District staff to continue in their positions until their services are no longer needed or until a new Supervisor has been sworn in. Clarification shall include that this policy is not to apply to those staff in an office where the current Supervisor is leaving office due to term limits or loss in election.
Board of Supervisors Policy A-39, “Management of Board of Supervisors General Office Operations and Budget and Administrative Support to Board Offices,” designate the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors as Executive Officer of the Board in providing administrative support to, and management of, the Board General Office operations. Additionally, Board Policy A-39, “Process to Fill Vacancies on the Board of Supervisors,” establishes procedures for filling vacancies on the Board of Supervisors. It is recommended that the proposed amendments to the aforementioned policies be adopted. The amendments are centered on providing a process for the continuation of staffing in District offices in the event a Supervisor is incapacitated, has resigned or otherwise unable to perform their duties. More specifically, it provides the authority for the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to designate an “Office Administrator” for the District Office to oversee the day-to-day operations of the office in order to maintain regular constituent services and to provide updates to the remaining members of the Board on activities and services conducted by the District office.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed actions aim to ensure the continuation of services to the District in the event of future Board vacancies This aligns directly with the County of San Diego’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan Initiatives of Community, Equity and Empower by promoting equitable treatment and uninterrupted services for constituents, businesses, and stakeholders who might otherwise be impacted.
Respectfully submitted,
JOEL ANDERSON
Supervisor, Second District
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment 1: Resolution Amending Rule 5
Attachment 2: Proposed Amendments to Board Policy A-38, “Management of Board of Supervisors General Office Operations and Budget and Administrative Support to Board Offices”
Attachment 3: Proposed Amendments to Board Policy A-39, “Process to Fill Vacancies on the Board of Supervisors”