Memorandum
Date: March 10, 2020
To: The Honorable Moke Simon, Chair, Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Carol J. Huchingson, County Administrative Officer
Subject: Consideration of a Resolution Amending Resolution No. 2018-118 Establishing Temporary Alternative Office Hours for County offices Located in and Surrounding the Lake County Courthouse or Alternative Direction to Staff
Executive Summary: (include fiscal and staffing impact narrative):
When the Friday closure pilot was initiated, staff vacancies rates had recently trended around 20%, county-wide. High vacancy rates remain an issue, and are currently at 19%, with 198 permanent positions presently unfilled.
As you will recall, a committee of Department Heads initially met when the pilot was launched and resolved a few minor issues. No significant complications that could not be remedied have been reported, to date, and Department Heads have noted seeing great benefits from the protected time provided by reduced public hours.
However, as your Board heard at your recent workshop on Economic Development, Friday closures have been inconvenient for some members of the public. We are in the business of providing services to the public, and addressing office hours at each six-month interval offers your Board the opportunity to receive public comment, and weigh whether providing uninterrupted time for staff on Fridays remains the best means to serve the public in a timely manner.
Background
California Government Code section 24260 empowers your Board to set office hours for the transaction of County business. You are very probably also aware it is common practice in California Counties to periodically revisit public hours, and establish any changes by Resolution.
On August 28, 2018, your Board adopted Resolution No. 2018-18, establishing temporary alternate office hours for County offices located within and surrounding the Lake County Courthouse Building. At that time, Friday closures were granted due to high employee vacancy rates, generally heavy workloads and disaster impacts. Your initial authorization facilitated a six-month pilot, bringing public hours of County offices into alignment with norms of the Cities of Clearlake and Lakeport.
The ongoing need of reduced public hours was affirmed by your Board December 4, 2018, March 12, 2019, by adopting Resolution No. 2019-35, and again September 10, 2019, adopting Resolution No. 2019-136, extending Friday closures through today, March 10, 2020.
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☐ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Infrastructure ☐ Technology Upgrades
☒ Economic Development ☒ Disaster Recovery ☒ County Workforce ☐ Revenue Generation
☐ Community Collaboration ☒ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake ☐ Cost Savings
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Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution Establishing Temporary Alternative Office Hours for County offices located in and surrounding the Lake County Courthouse or provide alternative direction to staff.