Commission Role in Administration

Administration of County Government

The Board of County Commissioners has agreed upon the following as a means of clarifying the role of the Commission in the Administration of County operations:

Generally, Commissioners should visit County Departments only as a group, that is, as the Board of County Commissioners.
Generally, Commissioners should visit with County Department heads about the performance of their Departments only as a group, that is, as the Board of County Commissioners.
Individual commissioners should visit County Departments infrequently and with an extreme degree of caution.
If a commissioner determines it necessary to visit with a Department head without other board members present, the full board should be advised that the visit occurred and the subject of the visit should be reviewed with the board.
Outside of Commission meetings, individual commissioners should never give work-related directions or suggestions to Department heads or other employees.

Citizen Inquiries or Complaints

Complaints or Inquiries Commissioners receive about Departments and personnel under the authority of the Commission should be channeled as follows:

Commissioner reports inquiry/complaint to board at its next meeting
Board discusses appropriate resolution of complaint and, if necessary, may direct county administrator to work with the appropriate Department head to resolve the matter
If so directed, County Administrator reports nature of complaint to appropriate Department Director and requests background information as needed
Department director responds and reports back to County Administrator
After the board has identified a solution to the complaint, or after the County Administrator has provided feedback, the commissioner who received the complaint may contact the citizen to explain action taken
If the complaint received requires a timely response, the Commissioner receiving the complaint should contact the County Administrator who will follow steps three-five to resolve the matter as soon as possible

Department Tours

Following the regularly scheduled lunch briefings that the Commission has with individual department heads, the Commission should participate in a tour of the Department, during which a briefing on Department activities, issues, and concerns shall be provided. The Commission should review newly established Commissioner-employee and complaint review communication procedures with Department heads.