Intro
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 17-24
TO: MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE
CLERK OF THE LEGISLATURE
FROM: FRANK WHITE, JR.
JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE
DATE: DECEMBER 28, 2017
RE: IMMEDIATE COST SAVING MEASURES
Title
WHEREAS, Jackson County citizens deserve a county government that delivers services to the public both effectively and efficiently; and,
WHEREAS, the Jackson County Legislature’s FY2018 budget fails to provide adequate funding to support the operations of the County; and,
WHEREAS, strong measures must be implemented to maintain the trust of the people of Jackson County and continue essential operations; and,
WHEREAS, restrictions on hiring, contractual agreements, and facility usage are necessary to help achieve the necessary savings; and,
WHEREAS, these restrictions should be implemented in a manner that promotes true cost reductions, encourages prudent fiscal management, protects the health, safety, and welfare of the County, and allows the County to adequately and properly serve the People of Jackson County,
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DIRECTED AND ORDERED:
I. Definition. For purposes of this Executive Order, "county department" shall be defined as any County department, office, or agency, with the exception of the Circuit Court, Prosecuting Attorney, County Legislature, Public Administrator or Sheriff and their respective offices and staff.
II. Hiring Freeze. County departments shall implement a hiring freeze, effective immediately. The terms of the hiring freeze shall be as follows:
A. County departments shall not commence any new hiring processes during the pendency of this hiring freeze.
B. County departments shall terminate all ongoing hiring processes that have not yet resulted in a formal offer of employment being extended to a candidate.
C. County departments may complete ongoing hiring processes that have been publicly posted on the County’s website and have resulted in an offer of employment being extended to a candidate, if the candidate accepts the extended offer. If the candidate does not accept the extended offer, the county department that extended the offer shall terminate the hiring process for that position.
D. County departments shall retain any and all monies saved as a result from this hiring freeze. A county department shall not expend or otherwise disburse such retained monies, without the approval of the County’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
E. County departments shall track the positions that have remained vacant as a result of this hiring freeze, and shall also track the estimated savings that have resulted from these vacancies. County departments shall report these vacancies and estimated savings to the Director of Human Resources ("HR") upon request by HR.
F. This hiring freeze shall not apply to positions that provide services critical to life, health, or public safety, or that generate revenue. HR shall develop a list of such exempt positions in coordination with county departments. HR shall consider any county department's claim that a position not included on that list in fact provides services critical to life, health, or public safety, generates revenue, or is otherwise indispensable to essential agency operations. If HR concludes that the county department is correct, the relevant position shall be added to the exempted positions list and the hiring freeze shall not apply. The final determination of exempt positions shall be subject to the approval of the CAO.
G. HR shall post an announcement of this hiring freeze on the County website (www.jacksongov.org).
H. For each county department, the obligations imposed by this Section shall expire on May 1, 2018, unless these obligations are extended by a subsequent Executive Order.
III. Reduction in Contractual Expenditures. County departments shall not enter into any contractual or professional service agreements unless deemed essential by the Director of the Department and approved by the County’s Chief Administrative Officer or his or her designee.
IV. Optimization of Facilities. County departments shall optimize their use of county-owned and county-leased facilities, consistent with the provisions stated herein.
A. County departments shall immediately conduct a review of their use of county-owned and county-leased space. This review shall evaluate at least the following:
1. The county department's maximization of space per FTE.
2. The county department’s utilization of storage space, including whether maintenance of items being stored is necessary to the agencies’ operations.
3. The county department’s degree of compliance with all statutes, regulations, and county codes governing the use of space.
B. Based upon the review required in Section IV(A), county departments shall take immediate steps to optimize the efficiency of county-owned and county-leased space, by eliminating or reducing space (consistent with satisfying business needs and controlling statutes, regulations, and County policies).
V. I request that the Circuit Court, Prosecuting Attorney, County Legislature and Sheriff adopt similar policies that reduce County expenditures. County staff is directed to assist the above-mentioned officials and entities of county government in accomplishing these objectives as they may request.
VI. This Executive Order is not intended to create, and does not create, any rights or benefits, whether substantive or procedural, or enforceable at law or in equity, against Jackson County or its agencies.
VII. This Executive Order does not abrogate any collective bargaining agreement in effect on the date of filing.
VIII. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Executive Order will remain in effect until January 1, 2019, unless superseded by a subsequent Executive Order or source of law.
Drafter
_________________________________
Frank White, Jr., County Executive
Date: _______________________