Memorandum
Date: January 9, 2024
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Susan Parker, County Administrative Officer
Stephen Carter, Assistant County Administrative Officer
Pam Samac, Human Resources Director
Subject: Discussion of Structural Considerations Surrounding the Water Resources and Public Works Departments, and Consideration of Direction to Staff to Initiate Recruitment for Relevant Leadership Roles
Executive Summary:
On December 5, 2023, your Board received notice Public Works and Water Resources Director, Scott De Leon, will retire, effective June 30, 2024. This notice requires additional planning to best manage the subsequent time of transition. Some restructuring of County Departments may be necessary, as it has been challenging to recruit an individual with both Public Works and Water Resources leadership experience to fill a joint role.
Director De Leon’s notice included a recommendation to reclassify the currently-allocated and vacant Deputy Water Resources Director position as Water Resources Director, and separate this position from the Public Works Department. Previously, Water Resources has been a distinct County Department as recently as 2019.
Should your Board choose to separate these Departments, it seems intuitive the Water Resources Director would supervise technical and program staff (Water Resources subject matter experts, those heading groundwater, invasive species, stormwater and other programs).
Recommendations presented by Director De Leon envisioned continuation of shared fiscal/administrative positions to serve both Departments. While Water Resources’ scope is narrower than some County Departments, their programs are highly grant funding-dependent, and fiscal support from the Public Works fiscal team has been valuable.
Should this model ultimately be adopted, joint fiscal/administrative positions could be funded proportionate to the level of services provided to each department with no new positions requested to accommodate the recommendation.
Staff seeks direction from your Board to either pursue exploring the option recommended by Director De Leon and report back to your Board on February 6, 2024, or begin recruitment for Deputy Water Resources Director and Public Works Director roles, as they have most recently been structured.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ________ Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
Purchasing Considerations (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Fully Article X. <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI>- and/or Consultant Selection Policy <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Policy/Policies+$!26+Procedures+Manual/Ch4_2021v2.pdf>-Compliant (describe process undertaken in “Executive Summary”)
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☐ Other (Please describe in Executive Summary)
Consistency with Vision 2028 <http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2028.htm> (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☒ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☒ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☒ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: Direction to staff, as your Board deems appropriate.