The Chair has requested this item be placed on the agenda in order for the Board to discuss the structure of and positions within the County Administrative Office (CAO).
Pursuant to Policy Resolution No. 2010-02, any proposed reorganization within a County department is to be justified based on the following factors: (1) Cost Savings/Revenue Enhancement, (2) Demonstrated or Verifiable Operational Advantages, (3) Compliance with Mandates, (4) Organizational and Management Principles, and (5) Budgetary and Internal Service Impact.
The CAO has 15 allocated positions, including the Clerk of the Board staff, each of which is currently filled. The CAO's total budget, which doesn't include the Clerk of the Board, for the current fiscal year is $2.6 million. Of this, $1.64 million is offset through cost plan charges. The budget for the Clerk of the Board is $1.2 million and is funded entirely by the General Fund.
The CAO is tasked with direct and indirect oversight of County operations across twenty departments. The CAO is responsible for, among other things, development and oversight of the annual County budget; policy and legislative analysis; lease negotiation and real property purchases; contract development and review; and working with other government agencies and community partners on a variety of projects. The functions of the office are more thoroughly outlined in Shasta County Code Chapter 2.12.
The department houses the Clerk of the Board, which is responsible for various statutory duties including Board of Supervisors meeting agendas, minutes, and technical operations; conflict of interest filings; legal noticing; acceptance of County Claims; and serving as the clerk to the Board of Assessment Appeals. The functions of the Clerk of the Board are identified in Shasta County Code Chapter 2.08.
The department also houses Veterans Services, which is responsible for assisting veterans and their dependents in presenting and pursuing claims against the United States or the State of California and in establishing the veterans’ rights to any privilege, preference, care or compensation provided by the laws of the United States or the State of California.
Additionally, the department carries out public information functions at a countywide level, ranging from community engagement to media relations to public records request response.