To: Board of Supervisors
From: Human Resources
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Adoption of Resolution Delegating Authority to the Risk Manager for the Administration, Selection, Renewal, and Execution of County Insurance and Employee Benefit Agreements
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Risk Manager, or designee, to negotiate, select, execute, renew, amend, and administer insurance policies, employee benefit plans, subscriber agreements, participation agreements, and related documents on behalf of the county, in consultation with County Counsel, County Administrative Office and other applicable county departments, and established county policies.
Body
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 county maintains a variety of insurance policies, risk pool agreements, and employee benefit programs necessary to support county operations, protect assets, manage liability exposures, and provide benefits to eligible employees and retirees.
The Risk Management Division of Human Resources is responsible for the coordination, administration, and oversight of benefit programs, including working with insurance carriers, benefit providers, risk-sharing pools, third-party administrators, labor representatives and county departments.
Over time, The Board of Supervisors has developed certain authorities related to specific programs, agreements, and administrative functions. However, these authorizations have generally been established individually rather than through a consolidated delegation addressing the full scope of the county’s insurance and employee benefit administration. As a result, routine agreements, renewals, plan documents, and related administrative actions may require separate consideration despite falling within the previously approved program established county procedure, or existing authority.
The proposed Resolution establishes a consistent framework for the Risk Manager to act on behalf of the county in the administration of insurance and employee benefit programs. Under this authority, the Risk Manager would be authorized to evaluate and select coverage options, negotiate and execute agreements, renew or modify existing coverages, and complete necessary administrative documents, including subscriber agreements, plan agreements, participation agreements, amendments, and other related documents.
Such action would be undertaken in coordination and consultation with affected county department leadership including, but not limited to, Human Resources, County Counsel, and the County Administrative Office as appropriate to the nature of the agreement or coverage.
The delegation is intended to facilitate timely and effective administration of county insurance and benefit programs while maintaining appropriate fiscal, legal, and policy oversight.
The Resolution is not intended to transfer the Board’s authority to establish county policy, approve appropriations, authorize collective bargaining agreements, or approve actions otherwise requiring Board consideration, rather to authorize the Risk Manager to implement and administer programs and coverage within the parameters established by the Board and applicable laws.
The consolidated authorization will promote administrative efficiency, continuity of coverage, responsiveness to changing insurance market conditions, and consistency in the execution of agreements on behalf of the county.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Employment Benefits (2352), Workers Compensation (3353), Liability Fund (3524), Medical Plan (5355), Dental Plan (6356), Unemployment (7357), Purchased Insurance Premiums (8358)
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with adoption of the proposed resolution. The resolution delegates administrative authority and does not independently authorize additional expenditures or appropriations.
STAFFING IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
There is no anticipated staffing impacted associated with the adoption of the proposed resolution. The delegated authority formalizes functions currently performed by the Risk Manager and does not require additional staffing or changes to existing position allocations. Consolidating these authorities under a single resolution is expected to improve administrative efficiency.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to adopt the attached resolution. However, this is not recommended as doing so would maintain the need for individual Board approval of routine administrative actions, such as the execution of subscriber agreements, and would forgo the opportunity to consolidate existing authorities and direction, streamline administrative processes, and improve operational efficiency.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A