MEETING DATE: 8/23/2016
DEPARTMENT: COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
DEPT HEAD/DIRECTOR: Ray Espinosa
AGENDA ITEM PREPARER: Barbara Thompson
SBC DEPT FILE NUMBER: 105
SUBJECT:
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE - R. ESPINOSA
1) Adopt Resolution of the San Benito County Board of Supervisors abolishing the office of County Road Commissioner, establishing the office of County Director of Transportation and transferring all duties of the abolished Road Commissioner's Office to the County Transportation Director's Office in accordance with California Streets and Highways Code Section 2006.1; and
2) First reading and motion to accept introduction, waive further reading of the ordinance, and continue the matter to September 13, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. for adoption of the proposed ordinance adding Article IIA "County Director of Transportation" to Chapter 3.01 of Title 3 of the San Benito County Code.
SBC FILE NUMBER: 105
RESOLUTION NO: 2016-76
AGENDA SECTION:
REGULAR AGENDA
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
Currently, the San Benito County Departments of Public Works and Planning Department have been provisionally consolidated into a single Resource Management Agency under the direction of Brent Barnes since September of 2015.
For approximately six months, the County has been without the services of a Road Commissioner as provided under the California Streets and Highways Code Section 2004.5 (please see attachment and read highlighted sections in yellow).
Section 2006 (a) of this code requires that any person appointed to the office of Road Commissioner after December 31. 1965 shall be a registered civil engineer.
However, Section 2006.1 of this same code provides County Boards of Supervisors with the authority to abolish the Office of Road Commissioner if and when the board also transfer all of the duties of the aforementioned office to the County Director of Transportation.
Because of the difficulty in attracting qualified and experienced candidates for these types of highly technical positions, staff is recommending that the Board abolish the Road Commissioners Office and avail itself of the opportunity to transfer these duties to the Director of the Resource Management Agency, Brent Barnes.
The Streets and Highways Statute allows for the Director of Transportation to assume the Road Commissioner's duties without holding any special permit, registration or license.
Furthermore, the statute provides for any engineering functions that need to be performed by the road commissioner to be performed by a registered civil engineer under the supervision of the County Transportation Director.
The Road Commissioner position has been periodically abolished and reinstated over the years within the County. Attached to this agenda item is a copy of a resolution which abolished the position in 1999, although it was later reinstated. The current proposed resolution is modeled after the 1999 resolution.
Lastly, the Board is requested to accept introduction of an ordinance which would memorialize the changes made in the Resolution into the San Benito County Code.
BUDGETED:
SBC BUDGET LINE ITEM NUMBER:
CURRENT FY COST:
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
After staff reads the title of the proposed ordinance, it is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Make a motion to accept introduction, waive further reading of the ordinance, and continue the matter to September 13, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., for adoption; and,
2. Adopt Resolution No. ___, abolishing the office of County Road Commissioner, establishing the office of County Director of Transportation and transferring all duties of the abolished Road Commissioner's Office to the Office of the County Director of Transportation, in accordance with California Streets and Highways Code Section 2006.1.
ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL: