CAO Code
Title II - Administration
Division 4
County Departments and Offices
Chapter 1: Department of County Administration Officer (County Administrative Officer) of Humboldt County
There is hereby created a department of the County of Humboldt which shall be known and designated as the "Department of the County Administrative Officer." (Ordinance 701 and 1, December 10, 1969)
There is hereby created in and for the County of Humboldt a position to be known and designated as that of "County Administrative Officer." The Board of Supervisors, in governing the County of Humboldt, establishes the policies, procedures, rules, regulations and code sections that are to be followed, and the County Administrative Officer is responsible for carrying out the decisions of the board and seeing that policies and procedures are implemented and executed. (Ordinance 701 and 2, December 10, 1969)
The County Administrative Officer shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 3, December 10, 1969)
In addition to other qualifications provided by law or code section, the County Administrative Officer shall have demonstrated administrative ability evidenced by at least 5 years of responsible administrative or executive experience requiring the planning and execution of work programs or administrative operations, the budgeting and control of expenditures, and the coordination of varied activities; at least 2 of said 5 years shall have involved responsibilities for reporting to or working with a legislative body or policy making board. (Ordinance 820 and 1, January 11, 1972)
The salary of the County Administrative Officer shall be determined by the Board of Supervisors. In order to implement the carrying out of his duties, the County Administrative Officer shall have for his department such funds and personnel as are allowed by the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 5, December 10, 1969)
Subject to the control and direction of the Board of Supervisors, the County Administrative Officer shall:
(a) Administration: Administer, enforce and carry out the policies, rules, regulations, orders and code sections implemented by the Board of Supervisors relating to the administration of county departments, services, institutions or districts.
(b) Supervision: Supervise and control the affairs of the county placed in his charge by the Board of Supervisors and supervise and control all departments, services, institutions and districts of the county for whom or for which the Board of Supervisors is required to adopt an annual budget, except the County Counsel; and to have the right to report on or to discuss with the Board of Supervisors any matter concerning the affairs of the departments, services, institutions or districts under his supervision.
(c) Coordination: Coordinate the administration of all departments, services, institutions or districts under his supervision with the power and authority to transfer equipment, machinery, furnishings or supplies from one department, service or institution to another, and to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for the temporary transfer of such personnel between departments, services or institutions as are necessary to perform the functions and accomplish the work of the county with the greatest efficiency.
(d) County Budget: Supervise, in cooperation with the Auditor-Controller, the preparation of the county’s annual budget. In this connection, he shall review all departmental, services and institutional requests and shall make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning decreases, increases and other changes in the preliminary and final budgets.
(e) Budget Control and Transfers: Scrutinize continuously, in cooperation with the Auditor-Controller, the administration of the final budget and departmental, services and institutional expenditures to assure that all expenditures are necessary and proper and that approved appropriations are not exceeded. All departmental, services and institutional requests for budgetary transfer shall be subject to the approval of the County Administrative Officer.
(f) Personnel: Make recommendations concerning the county’s personnel policies and practices which he believes will result in a more efficient personnel program. He shall review all requests for additional personnel and make recommendations concerning such requests to the Board of Supervisors. In connection with personnel matters, he may make such studies, surveys and recommendations, including comparative studies, surveys and recommendations, including comparative studies and surveys, as he deems necessary concerning the number, qualifications and compensation of employees in any of the various departments and offices. He shall also make such studies and surveys concerning personnel matters as he is requested to make by the Board of Supervisors.
(g) Recommendations Concerning Appointments and Dismissals: Recommend 1 or more qualified persons for appointment to any county office, department, service, institution or district when the Board of Supervisors is the appointing power, prior to the appointment being made. In the event that the County Administrative Officer, after investigation, is of the opinion that any appointee of the Board of Supervisors to a county office, department, service, institution or district is not properly carrying out his duties, the County Administrative Officer shall recommend to the Board of Supervisors that such appointee be dismissed.
(h) Travel Requests: Approve all requests for out of county travel in accordance with the provision of code sections 254-1 to 254-11.
(i) Supervisors’ Meetings: Attend all meetings of the Board of Supervisors, except when excused therefrom, and advise and make recommendations concerning matters falling within his jurisdiction.
(j) Legislative Recommendations: Make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning the endorsement or opposition of any proposed local, state or federal legislation which has come to his attention and concerning which he feels that the county should take a stand. He shall also recommend to the Board of Supervisors the adoption of new and revised ordinances, code sections, orders and resolutions when in his judgment such action would be in the best interest of the county.
(k) Investigations, Studies and Surveys: Make such investigations, studies and surveys as ordered by the Board of Supervisors or as deemed necessary by him.
(l) Recommendations Concerning Efficiency and Coordination: Make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors that he believes will result in greater efficiency and economy in the administration of county affairs. Such recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, matters involving the coordination of all county offices, departments, institutions, services or districts.
(m) Contracts: Make such recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding the feasibility of entering into any contracts, agreements, arrangements or other legal relationships as he believes will result in the greatest benefit to the county.
(n) Office to be Available for Contacting Supervisors: Operate his office so that it will be available as a place for the public to contact members of the Board of Supervisors and leave messages for them.
(o) Other Duties: Perform such other duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 6, December 10, 1969)
No provision of this chapter shall be deemed or construed to grant any authority to or impose any duty upon the County Administrative Officer which is by law or any section of this code imposed upon any other officer, department, agency, commission or employee, nor to delegate to the County Administrative Officer any duty or authority required to be performed or exercised by the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 7, December 10, 1969)
The County Administrative Officer shall have the authority to secure reports and information from officers, employees and department heads necessary to enable him to make studies, reports and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 8, December 10, 1969)
A copy of any report or recommendation made by the County Administrative Officer shall be sent to the head of each county department, service, institution or district that is affected. (Ordinance 701 and 9, December 10, 1969)
Division 4
County Departments and Offices
Chapter 1: Department of County Administration Officer (County Administrative Officer) of Humboldt County
241-1. Department of County Administrative Officer
There is hereby created a department of the County of Humboldt which shall be known and designated as the "Department of the County Administrative Officer." (Ordinance 701 and 1, December 10, 1969)
241-2. County Administrative Officer
There is hereby created in and for the County of Humboldt a position to be known and designated as that of "County Administrative Officer." The Board of Supervisors, in governing the County of Humboldt, establishes the policies, procedures, rules, regulations and code sections that are to be followed, and the County Administrative Officer is responsible for carrying out the decisions of the board and seeing that policies and procedures are implemented and executed. (Ordinance 701 and 2, December 10, 1969)
241-3. Appointment and Tenure
The County Administrative Officer shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 3, December 10, 1969)
241-4. Qualifications
In addition to other qualifications provided by law or code section, the County Administrative Officer shall have demonstrated administrative ability evidenced by at least 5 years of responsible administrative or executive experience requiring the planning and execution of work programs or administrative operations, the budgeting and control of expenditures, and the coordination of varied activities; at least 2 of said 5 years shall have involved responsibilities for reporting to or working with a legislative body or policy making board. (Ordinance 820 and 1, January 11, 1972)
241-5. Salary and Allowances For Department
The salary of the County Administrative Officer shall be determined by the Board of Supervisors. In order to implement the carrying out of his duties, the County Administrative Officer shall have for his department such funds and personnel as are allowed by the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 5, December 10, 1969)
241-6. Duties
Subject to the control and direction of the Board of Supervisors, the County Administrative Officer shall:
(a) Administration: Administer, enforce and carry out the policies, rules, regulations, orders and code sections implemented by the Board of Supervisors relating to the administration of county departments, services, institutions or districts.
(b) Supervision: Supervise and control the affairs of the county placed in his charge by the Board of Supervisors and supervise and control all departments, services, institutions and districts of the county for whom or for which the Board of Supervisors is required to adopt an annual budget, except the County Counsel; and to have the right to report on or to discuss with the Board of Supervisors any matter concerning the affairs of the departments, services, institutions or districts under his supervision.
(c) Coordination: Coordinate the administration of all departments, services, institutions or districts under his supervision with the power and authority to transfer equipment, machinery, furnishings or supplies from one department, service or institution to another, and to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for the temporary transfer of such personnel between departments, services or institutions as are necessary to perform the functions and accomplish the work of the county with the greatest efficiency.
(d) County Budget: Supervise, in cooperation with the Auditor-Controller, the preparation of the county’s annual budget. In this connection, he shall review all departmental, services and institutional requests and shall make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning decreases, increases and other changes in the preliminary and final budgets.
(e) Budget Control and Transfers: Scrutinize continuously, in cooperation with the Auditor-Controller, the administration of the final budget and departmental, services and institutional expenditures to assure that all expenditures are necessary and proper and that approved appropriations are not exceeded. All departmental, services and institutional requests for budgetary transfer shall be subject to the approval of the County Administrative Officer.
(f) Personnel: Make recommendations concerning the county’s personnel policies and practices which he believes will result in a more efficient personnel program. He shall review all requests for additional personnel and make recommendations concerning such requests to the Board of Supervisors. In connection with personnel matters, he may make such studies, surveys and recommendations, including comparative studies, surveys and recommendations, including comparative studies and surveys, as he deems necessary concerning the number, qualifications and compensation of employees in any of the various departments and offices. He shall also make such studies and surveys concerning personnel matters as he is requested to make by the Board of Supervisors.
(g) Recommendations Concerning Appointments and Dismissals: Recommend 1 or more qualified persons for appointment to any county office, department, service, institution or district when the Board of Supervisors is the appointing power, prior to the appointment being made. In the event that the County Administrative Officer, after investigation, is of the opinion that any appointee of the Board of Supervisors to a county office, department, service, institution or district is not properly carrying out his duties, the County Administrative Officer shall recommend to the Board of Supervisors that such appointee be dismissed.
(h) Travel Requests: Approve all requests for out of county travel in accordance with the provision of code sections 254-1 to 254-11.
(i) Supervisors’ Meetings: Attend all meetings of the Board of Supervisors, except when excused therefrom, and advise and make recommendations concerning matters falling within his jurisdiction.
(j) Legislative Recommendations: Make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning the endorsement or opposition of any proposed local, state or federal legislation which has come to his attention and concerning which he feels that the county should take a stand. He shall also recommend to the Board of Supervisors the adoption of new and revised ordinances, code sections, orders and resolutions when in his judgment such action would be in the best interest of the county.
(k) Investigations, Studies and Surveys: Make such investigations, studies and surveys as ordered by the Board of Supervisors or as deemed necessary by him.
(l) Recommendations Concerning Efficiency and Coordination: Make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors that he believes will result in greater efficiency and economy in the administration of county affairs. Such recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, matters involving the coordination of all county offices, departments, institutions, services or districts.
(m) Contracts: Make such recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding the feasibility of entering into any contracts, agreements, arrangements or other legal relationships as he believes will result in the greatest benefit to the county.
(n) Office to be Available for Contacting Supervisors: Operate his office so that it will be available as a place for the public to contact members of the Board of Supervisors and leave messages for them.
(o) Other Duties: Perform such other duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 6, December 10, 1969)
241-7. No Authority or Duty of Others Given to County Administrative Officer
No provision of this chapter shall be deemed or construed to grant any authority to or impose any duty upon the County Administrative Officer which is by law or any section of this code imposed upon any other officer, department, agency, commission or employee, nor to delegate to the County Administrative Officer any duty or authority required to be performed or exercised by the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 7, December 10, 1969)
241-8. Authority to Secure Reports and Information
The County Administrative Officer shall have the authority to secure reports and information from officers, employees and department heads necessary to enable him to make studies, reports and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. (Ordinance 701 and 8, December 10, 1969)
241-9. Copy of Report or Recommendation to Affected Head
A copy of any report or recommendation made by the County Administrative Officer shall be sent to the head of each county department, service, institution or district that is affected. (Ordinance 701 and 9, December 10, 1969)