Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 12, 2010 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Process for Recruitment and Selection of the Tax Administrator <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Frank W Clifton, County Manager, 245-2306 <br />Jo Roberson, Tax Administrator, 245-2727 <br />Michael McGinnis, Human Resources <br />Director, 245-2552 <br />Clarence Grier, Financial Services Director, <br />245-2453 <br />PURPOSE: To provide information and receive the Board's direction on the process for the <br />recruitment and selection of the Tax Administrator. <br />BACKGROUND: On December 31, 2009, former Tax Assessor John Smith retired after serving <br />Orange County for 24 years. -With this vacancy, the Board of County Commissioners charged <br />the County Manager with reviewing the functions of tax assessment and collections and <br />increasing efficiencies in these areas without adding costs. Based on the County Manager's <br />recommendation, the Board approved reclassification of the Revenue Director/Tax Collector <br />position to Tax Administrator, reclassification of the Tax Assessor position to Revaluation <br />Manager and consolidation of the Revenue and Tax Assessors Departments into the Tax <br />Administration Department. The incumbent Revenue Director/Tax Collector, Jo Roberson, was <br />appointed as Tax Administrator, effective January 1, 2010. <br />Sections 105-294 and 105-349 of the North Carolina General Statutes provide that the Board of <br />County Commissioners shall appoint a county assessor and a tax collector. The statutes do not <br />specify length of term for tax collector but require the county assessor be appointed to a term of <br />not less than two nor more than four years. Whenever a vacancy occurs in either office, the <br />board of county commissioners shall appoint a qualified person to serve as county assessor or <br />tax collector for the period of the unexpired term. The statues also provide that the offices of <br />county assessor and tax collector are offices that may be held concurrently with another <br />appointive or elective office. Continuing the County's practice of making appointments to the <br />office of Tax Assessor and Tax Collector for two-year terms, Ms. Roberson's current <br />appointment as Tax Administrator is for atwo-year term, expiring June 30, 2011. <br />With the Board's approval, the County Manager will work with the Human Resources <br />Department to develop a recruitment and selection process that will identify qualified candidates <br />for the position of Tax Administrator. The Board and other stakeholders will have the <br />