To: Board of Supervisors
From: Clerk/Recorder
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution Regarding Changes in County of Humboldt Public Office Hours for the Humboldt County Office of Elections and District Attorney’s Office
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt the attached resolution regarding changes in County of Humboldt public office hours for the Humboldt County Office of Elections and District Attorney’s Office.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Core Services/Other
Strategic Plan Category: 9999 - Core Services/Other
DISCUSSION:
The Humboldt County Office of Elections is requesting to change their public office hours. The Office of Elections presently is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. The Office of Elections would like to change their office hours to be open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Elections Code 4005 mandates Vote Centers to be open prior to Election Day for a minimum of eight hours per day and the Elections Office serves as an active Vote Center 29 days prior to each election. For Humboldt County voters, this change will ease any confusion caused with the office being closed over the lunch hour and allow for eight continuous hours of being open to the public to better serve Humboldt County voters.
Additionally, on Aug. 12, 2024, construction to make Americans with Disability Act (ADA) upgrades began at the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office. Normal operations have continued with minimal disruption to office operations. However, front office reception and telephone hours have been closing one hour early to allow staff adequate time to perform all necessary duties during the construction period. The temporary public office hours, previously approved by the Board on July 2, 2024, expired on Sept. 3, 2024. Due to the work required to complete the ADA improvements at the District Attorney’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office and the ADA Compliance Team are requesting an extension of these temporary office hours until the construction is completed. It is currently anticipated to be completed on Oct. 3, 2024. The temporary office hours will continue to be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. Once construction is completed, regular public office hours for the District Attorney’s Office will resume Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m.
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 24260, “county officers shall keep their offices open for the transaction of business during such hours and on such days as are fixed by the board of supervisors by ordinance or resolution.” On Feb. 21, 1982, the Board adopted Resolution No. 82-170 which, among other things, establishes the days and hours of work and office hours for the County of Humboldt. Therefore, paragraph B of Section 24 of Resolution No. 82-170 must be amended in order to reflect proposed changes in the Office of Elections’ open hours and District Attorney’s temporary public office hours (Attachment 1), effective Sept. 10, 2024.
Changes to public office hours will be noticed with a press release, on departmental webpages on the county’s website, on the county’s active social media platforms and with departmental flyer notification postings.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
1100 General Fund
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The requested office hours change specifically for the Office of Elections will not impact the General Fund as the office is currently staffed and budgeted for the proposed public office hours.
The temporary office hour extension will not have budgetary impacts regarding staffing for the District Attorney’s Office as the office is also currently staffed and budgeted for the updated temporary public office hours.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Staff must ensure the updated office hours are communicated to the public via press release, on departmental webpages on the county’s website, on the county’s active social media platforms and with departmental flyer notification postings, so there are some workload impacts with the changes to public office hours.
The updated public office hours will not have a significant impact staff in the Office of Elections. Staff are already scheduled to report to work during the proposed hours. The difference in the day to day for staff will be staggered lunch hours taken to accommodate serving the public from noon to 1 p.m. The temporary office hour extension will not have a significant impact on staff in the District Attorney’s Office as these office hours have been in place since July 2024.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could choose not to adopt the attached resolution regarding changes in public office hours. This alternative is not recommended because the resolution is needed to authorize changes in open hours, based on previous Board action.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: Feb. 21, 1982, Feb. 10, 2015, July 12, 2022, June 3, 2024, June 11, 2024, and July 2, 2024
File No.: 15-145, 22-840, 24-875, 24-947, and 24-1035