Friday, July 9, 2010

San Mateo County in line with grand jury

July 09, 2010, 01:21 AM By Michelle Durand Daily Journal Staff

The county treasurer-tax collector and controller would not be any more accountable for their actions to the Board of Supervisors if either were appointed or consolidated into a single chief financial officer, according to an official response to recommendations made by the civil grand jury.

The official conduct of all officials elected and appointed are subject to the board already, County Manager David Boesch wrote in the county’s mandated response to the April grand jury report which recommended changing the two offices.

The supervision caveat was the only point of disagreement by the county toward the jury’s findings. The others were either agreed upon — that recruiting for a manager allows a thorough analysis of an applicant’s skills, for example — or given a rather neutral response, such as that elections possibly offering up a candidate with “greater professional, technical and management expertise in a given situation.”

The civil grand jury reports carry no legal weight but subjects must reply in writing within 90 days. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled Tuesday to authorize Boesch to send the response.

The jurors argued that consolidating the two elected officers into a single appointed position gives county residents the most effective and efficient financial officer because he or she would report directly to the county manager and be properly vetted for credentials. The report also held that consolidating the offices would create annual salary savings and money from eliminating the cost of elections and simplifying the organizational structure. On the flip side, it also noted elected positions offer greater accountability to voters, combined departments could create potential conflicts of interest and allows the elected official to challenge decisions by the Board of Supervisors.

The jury asked the county to direct its Charter Review Committee to look at the idea and consider an amendment. The committee took up the idea but didn’t fully support the grand jury’s recommendation. Instead, the committee voted 9 to 6 to recommend keeping the positions separate but appointed. A motion to push an appointed chief financial officer failed 7 to 8.

The committee also looked at changing the elected coroner and chief probation officer positions but opted against recommending tweaks.

The Board of Supervisors at its July 27 meeting will consider asking voters in November to change the charter, making the treasurer-tax collector and controller appointed jobs. If it does appear on the fall ballot and passes, the change will begin at the end of the term expiring January 2015.

Controller Tom Huening was re-elected in June and candidates Dave Mandelkern and Sandie Arnott are facing a run-off election in November for the position of treasurer-tax collector.

The Board of Supervisors has already tweaked the treasurer-tax collector position once at the prodding of the grand jury. In January, it instituted new rules requiring office holders to meet certain education and experience qualifications. The change takes effect next January and also applies in January 2015.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=135532&title=County%20in%20line%20with%20grand%20jury

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