Agenda - 10-06-1998 - 10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 Memorandum To: Board of Commissioners From: John Link, County Manager Date: October 6, 1998 Re: Environment and Resource Conservation Department (ERCD) On June 22, the Board approved the creation of a new Environment and Resource Conservation Department (abbreviated herein as ERCD). Please find attached the results of a staff work group which has worked over the past two months to develop a plan for implementing the new department. The attached report summarizes my recommendations for the new department. I am recommending that the Board consider this proposal on October 6, with an action item for October 20, 1998. The effective date for the new department would be November 23, 1998. In developing this report, the staff work group has used Dr. Cordon's May 25 memoranda as a basis for defining a mission and charge for the department. Using this mission statement and the adopted Commissioners' goals, proposals for departmental tasks and responsibilities, work plans, personnel and equipment needs have been generated -based on our understanding to date. As such, we recognize that all points of emphasis may not yet be addressed. To summarize, after evaluating the mission, tasks and needs of the new department, I am recommending that it include four permanent positions, one shared position with the Planning Department, plus one and one-half time-limited positions (scheduled to end 6/30/99) currently filled for specific projects. Existing staff will be utilized to fill these positions, with the exception of a new Natural Resources Conservation Manager and Administrative Assistant to be hired (please see Attachment B). Short-term space arrangements are proposed that will not require any current additional funding, but long-term needs may require alterations to the Planning and Agricultural Center beyond FY 2000. The estimated expenses for start-up of the department are approximately $52,000 for the current fiscal year (including half-year salaries and benefits for the Natural Resource Conservation Manager and Administrative Assistant). I am recommending that funding for these current year needs be taken from the $250,000 contingency set aside when the FY 99 budget ordinance was adopted.