Tompkins County, NY Article 3 Department of County Administration

§ C-3.00 Department of County Administration; Deputy Administrators and Directors; appointment; duties.

There shall be a Department of County Administration under the direction of the County Administrator. Within such Department there may be such Deputy Administrators and Directors as authorized by the Tompkins County Legislature, who shall be appointed by the County Administrator. Said Deputy Administrators and Directors shall be directly responsible to, and serve at the pleasure of, the County Administrator, except as provided by contract or Civil Service Law. Said Deputy Administrators and Directors may be responsible for one or more divisions or major functions within the Department of County Administration. The Deputy County Administrators shall possess the powers to act for and on behalf of the County Administrator.

The County Administrator shall have the power to appoint such assistants and employees of the Department as may be necessary to perform the duties of the Office of County Administrator and as shall be authorized by the Tompkins County Legislature. Such assistants and employees shall be directly responsible to the County Administrator.

The Department of County Administration shall be responsible for furnishing the basic elements of centralized staff support for all County departments. The major functional categories of this Department are hereinafter referred to as "divisions."

§ C-3.01 Chief Executive Officer.

The County Administrator shall be the County's chief executive officer and administrative head, and, except as may otherwise be provided in this Charter, shall have all the executive powers and perform all the duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed by law upon a county chief executive officer or head of the administrative branch of county government, together with all the powers and duties necessarily implied or incidental thereto.

§ C-3.02 County Administrator; appointment; qualifications; term.

The County Administrator shall be appointed by, be directly responsible to, and serve at the pleasure of the Tompkins County Legislature. The County Administrator shall have education or training and experience in administration acceptable to the Tompkins County Legislature.

§ C-3.03 County Administrator; powers and duties.

Pursuant to the responsibility for the administration of all County affairs, the County Administrator shall, in addition to any other powers and duties provided by this Charter:

(a) Supervise the implementation of policies as determined by the Tompkins County Legislature;

(b) Appoint, subject to consultation with and confirmation by the Tompkins County Legislature and Civil Service Law, the heads of all County departments and administrative units not administered by an elected official, except as otherwise provided by the Charter; remove, after consultation with the Tompkins County Legislature and subject to Civil Service Law, the heads of all County departments and administrative units not administered by an elected official, except as otherwise provided by this Charter;

(c) Exercise supervision and control of all departments, offices, and agencies headed by appointed officials, and unify the management of their affairs, subject to applicable provisions of this Charter;

(d) Oversee the activities of all other County departments, offices, and agencies as authorized by the Tompkins County Legislature;

(e) Submit to the Tompkins County Legislature at least annually the order of succession of deputies within County offices;

(f) Be responsible for the preparation and submission to the Tompkins County Legislature of the annual budget and capital program and execute the same as the Tompkins County Legislature may direct by resolution and appropriation. For this purpose, the County Administrator shall have the power to obtain estimates of revenue and expenditures from all department heads;

(g) Provide for the administration of supporting services and facilities required in common by various units of County government;

(h) Provide for the transfer of all materials, supplies, and equipment for the County except as otherwise provided in this Charter;

(i) Supervise the implementation of contracts for services on behalf of the County, following their authorization by the Tompkins County Legislature and execution by the Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature or other parties designated by the Tompkins County Legislature;

(j) Authorize any officer or employee of any unit of County government, except members of the Tompkins County Legislature, to attend any convention, conference, school, or other function for the betterment of County government, within the appropriations therefor. All necessary and actual expenses in connection therewith shall be paid from County funds;

(k) Provide adequate insurance and surety bond coverage and/or administer adequate insurance reserves to protect the County from all reasonable risks of loss or damage;

(l) Maintain with the approval of the Tompkins County Legislature an Administrative Policy Manual defining operating policies and procedures for the administration of Tompkins County;

(m) Serve as the Freedom of Information Officer for the County;

(n) Have all the powers necessary and incidental to the performance and exercise of any of the duties and functions lawfully delegated to the Office of County Administrator;

(o) Execute and enforce all resolutions and orders of the Tompkins County Legislature and all other laws for the Tompkins County Legislature or other County officers subject to its control, and perform all other duties and functions herein prescribed or lawfully delegated to the office by the Tompkins County Legislature;

(p) Supervise the implementation of contracts and memoranda of understanding with other governmental entities, including other counties and municipalities.

§ C-3.04 Administrative heads.

The County Administrator may appoint one person to head one or more administrative units, within the Department of County Administration, subject to any and all requirements as to qualifications, or the County Administrator may so serve. If the head of any administrative unit within the Department of County Administration is absent from the County or unable to exercise the powers and duties of the office, the County Administrator shall exercise such powers and duties during the period of such absence or disability or may designate a person to exercise such powers and duties.

§ C-3.05 Custody of documents.

The County Administrator shall have custody of all insurance policies, surety bonds, deeds to County property, and such other instruments as the Tompkins County Legislature may direct. Except as otherwise provided by law, the County Administrator shall file, record, and maintain as public records all original instruments pertaining to real estate and duplicates of all other documents executed, issued or received for the County by any officer or unit thereof; provided, however, that upon the sale of any real estate of the County, the documents relating thereto may be transferred to the purchaser.