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Consider directing County Counsel to prepare a resolution repealing the Board of Supervisors' right to receive longevity compensation (Supervisor Thomson)
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __x__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __x__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board direct County Counsel to prepare a resolution repealing the Board of Supervisors' right to receive longevity compensation.
SUMMARY:
Repeal the Board of Supervisors' right to longevity compensation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The passage of this resolution will not impact Supervisors in their current term. However, on January 5th 2015, two Supervisors will start a new term and will therefore no longer be eligible for longevity compensation. This will impact Supervisors from District 3 and 4 amounting to $14,214 in County savings. Furthermore, District 5 is entitled to receive $11,844 in longevity compensation but has voluntarily chosen to disregard that compensation. In total the County will save $26,000 in FY2016/17. Additionally, in the upcoming years, the County will save money from newly elected Supervisors who would have been eligible to receive longevity compensation but will no longer be eligible because of this resolution.
DISCUSSION:
Longevity pay was first introduced as compensation for members of the Board of Supervisors in 1971. In 1994, the Board decided that elected officials were not entitled to longevity compensation. Then in 2000, through Board Resolution No. 2000-142, the Board afforded each Supervisor the same longevity compensation as is entitled to executive management and senior management.
The repeal of the Board of Supervisors members' right to longevity compensation only applies to County Supervisors and will not impact other elected officials or County employees. As public servants who often possess many years of private and public sector experience, members of the Board of Supervisors do not require the same sort of incentives that are used to improve retention rates of other County employees.
Given the County's persistent structural deficit and inapplicable nature of longevity compensation on Supervisor retention rates, it is recommended that the Board waive its longevity compensation by making longevity compensation inapplicable to the Board of Supervisors.
This action will not impact Supervisors serving their current term and will become operative on January 5, 2015 and January 2, 2017 for newly elected Supervisors, respectively.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors may choose not to adopt this resolution; however, by doing so the Board will continue using general fund dollars to pay for avoidable longevity compensation.