Santa Cruz County supervisors oppose an Arizona Senate bill that if approved would cut them out as middlemen in the apportioning of money for elected offices.
As proposed by its sponsor Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, SB 1017 would require supervisors to give a lump sum of money at the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1 to each elected official. The offices that would be affected if the bill passes are: sheriff, recorder, treasurer, school superintendent, county attorney, assessor, supervisors, and justices of the peace.
Those elected to those offices would control their own budgets and could sign contracts without negotiating with the supervisors.
Pearce sponsored the same bill last year, said Supervisor Manuel Ruiz. "It has to do with Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County. I believe it is the wrong action for the Senate to introduce."
Sheriffs, county attorneys, treasurers and judges from around the state support SB 1017, Pearce told the Nogales International. "When we elect folks, they work for 'we the people,'" he said. "They should not have to ask permission from the board of supervisors to further their constitutional responsibilities."
Ruiz moved to have County Manager Greg Lucero send a letter opposing the bill to leaders in the Legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer.
County Attorney George Silva expressed his support for the letter.
"I'd love to have control of the budget," he said. "But the give and take works. I'm really happy with the way we have it down here."
Kathi Campana, co-chair of the Baca Float Coalition, told the supervisors, "They're taking away your authority, but not your liability. You will be held accountable for any misuse of public funds."
All three supervisors voted to send the letter.
"We oppose this (SB 1017)," said Craig Sullivan, executive director of the County Supervisors Association of Arizona, in an interview. "It creates a disconnect between governing boards and the other elected officials."
Supervisors levy the taxes that fund most county operations, Sullivan said. He called SB 1017 "a recipe for problems. It's going to create enormous confusion in terms of how local accountability for tax dollars will be ensured."
One of the tools the local board of supervisors has used to keep the budget in check is a hiring freeze. Also, a human resources director has traditionally helped handle personnel issues to help avoid legal liability. If passed, the bill conceivably could nix those controls, Lucero said in an interview.
Additionally, "It would remove a checks-and-balance from the board and create havoc" when trying to address such issues as budget overspending, and county-wide insurance.
1904 Courthouse HVAC
In other business, the supervisors voted 3-0 to reject all bids for the 1904 Courthouse Improvement Project, but gave approval for Community Development Director Mary Dahl to apply for another grant for the work.
The move was part of "the continued quest to get HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) installed in the courthouse," Dahl said.
In December 2008, her department received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) of about $490,000, she said in an interview. The county paid an architect to develop the project, but most of the money was reserved for the HVAC work.
She advertised in the Nogales International "but the (six) bids came in higher than we wanted," Dahl told the supervisors.
To make up the difference, the county pursued a state Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, but did not get the grant, Dahl said. "It was impossible for us to prove we would save energy" because the current system uses window air conditioners, fans and space heaters.
Now she and the architect will trim the HVAC project and try again, Dahl said. "We're trying to identify what we can do with the current grant and bid that out," Before mid-February, she will apply for a competitive CDBG grant from the state special projects fund to pay for the remainder of the project.
Freeze revisited
Also, the supervisors took another look at the hiring freeze for vacant county positions during a study session after the meeting. So far this year, they have not let two departments replace a departing employee, although grant or tax revenue would pay the salaries.
Carlos Rivera, health and human services director, asked for clarification. In the past, the supervisors lifted the freeze "if it (the position) didn't impact the general fund," he said.
Now, the Clerk of the Superior Court wants to use a one-year grant to hire a county employee who had been laid off, Rivera said.
In 2009, the county laid off 15 employees to save money in its diminishing general fund. But it allowed departments to transfer nine positions to grants. When the money runs out, those employees cannot appeal their layoff, Rivera said.
"We asked departments to take a 15 percent cut and shift positions to grants," Molera said. "I personally think I made a mistake (in voting 'no' on the two positions)."
The supervisors said "no" Jan. 13 when Alfredo Velasquez, county superintendent of schools, asked to hire an accounting specialist to handle the finances of several county school districts. The other rejected position was for an equipment operator in the flood-control district.
"I have $500,000 in forest fees," Velasquez said. "I could pay for the position for the next 10 years."
Currently, forest fees pay for three school resource officers from the sheriff's office, "but they can't pay for a position in my office," Velasquez said.
Under many grants, the county is reimbursed for expenses and does not receive the whole sum up front, Ruiz said.
Lucero agreed. "If the state can't reimburse us for grants, we may not have the cash flow available and have to issue warrants."
Velasquez will return with the hiring request to the supervisors Jan. 27, when they will also consider the clerk's request. |
