To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Departmental
SUBJECT:
title
Consultation Services for a Bond Measure and Ballot Measure Deadlines
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive an oral report from the County Administrative Officer regarding consultation services for a bond measure and ballot measure deadlines; and
2. Provide further direction to staff regarding the proposed ballot measure.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
1100 General Fund
DISCUSSION:
On March 3, 2020 your Board directed staff to return to the Board on March 17 with a budget proposal to fund necessary consultation and polling services, and further review the time frame to meet the ballot deadlines.
Contract negotiations with the Lew Edwards Group (LEG) are incomplete at this point in time, and therefore staff is unable to bring a supplemental budget to your Board. As your Board may recall, Humboldt County has worked with LEG for ballot measures Z, S and O. Once the contract negotiations are complete staff will return to your Board with a contract and a supplemental budget request.
Process and timing for placing a measure on the ballot
Under Government Code Section 53724, the Board would have to vote by two-thirds (on a five-member Board, this would require a four-fifths vote) to place an item on the ballot. The last day for placing an item on the ballot for November 3 is Aug. 7. However, your Board has no Board meeting scheduled on Aug. 4 and would therefore need to approve the measure by July 28.
The Elections Office would need an order from your Board approving consolidation of this item with the Nov. 3 election, as well as the language of the measure itself. County Counsel would also need to prepare an impartial analysis of the measure for the voters’ guide by Aug. 21. The measure would be in the form of an ordinance (although in this case the ordinance would ultimately be approved by the voters rather than your Board). Pursuant to Government Code Section 53724, the ordinance would need to include the type of tax, the rate to be levied, the method of collection, the date upon which the election will be held, and-in the case of a special tax-the purpose or service for which it is imposed.
The ballot measure deadlines and requirements are as follows:
• November General Election - Nov. 3
• Elections Office to receive materials 88 days prior to election - Aug. 7
• Final BOS Meeting prior to Aug. 7 - July 28
The items the Elections Office will need immediately after your Board’s July 28 meeting include:
• Ballot Language
• Ordinance Language
• Tax Rate Statement
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Staff estimates a contract with LEG may total $156,000. This includes an estimated $100,000 for opinion research studies and $56,000 for project management and strategic planning.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by providing community-appropriate levels of service .
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion.
ATTACHMENTS:
N/A
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: K-2
Meeting of: March 3, 2020
File No.: 20-209