Drafter
Clerk 02/03/2002
Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to the organization of the executive branch; designating as key subordinate units the elections section and the records, election and licensing division of the department of executive services; and amending Ordinance 11955, Section 12, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.100.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings: The council hereby finds:
A. The proper administration of elections is an essential function of county government in Washington state. Public confidence in the prompt and accurate counting of ballots is of the utmost importance to our democratic society. Conducting elections also requires numerous other important administrative matters including voter registration, processing of filings for candidate and measures, and the publication of voters' pamphlets.
B. Public confidence in the persons appointed to provide and protect our elections requires a selection process offering the greatest possible public scrutiny. Careful consideration of the professional qualifications of candidates for these vital positions will be accomplished best by a process involving executive appointment and council confirmation of persons serving in the position of division director, records, elections and licensing services division, and the position of superintendent of elections, elections section.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 11955, Section 12, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.16.100 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
Career service exemptions.
A. Exemptions from the requirements of the career service personnel system shall be consistent with the provisions of Sections 550, 350.10 and 350.20 of the King County Charter. Key subordinate units, as determined by the county council, and departmental divisions shall be considered to be executive departments((; and)). ((d))Divisions of administrative offices shall be considered to be administrative offices for the purpose of determining the applicability of the charter provisions.
B. ((Accordingly, t)))The county administrative officer, directors, chief officers((, managers)) and supervisors of departments, administrative offices, divisions, key subordinate units ((as determined by the county council,)) and other units of county government as required by law((,)) shall be exempt from the requirements and provisions of the career service personnel system.
C.1. The following are determined by the council to be key subordinate units due to the nature of the programs involved and their public policy implications((,)) and appointments ((thereto)) to these positions shall be subject to confirmation by the council:
((1.)) a. ((T))the director of the public defense division; ((and))
((2.)) b. ((T))the chief information officer of the administrative office of information resource management;
c. the manager of the records, elections and licensing services division; and
d. the superintendent of elections of the elections section of the records, elections and licensing services division.
((3.)) 2. When an ordinance is enacted designating a position as a key subordinate unit, no person then serving in ((such)) the position shall continue to serve for more than ninety days after such enactment, unless reappointed by the executive and confirmed by the council.
D. ((In addition, if the following positions are authorized within executive departments, divisions or administrative offices, an administrative assistant and a confidential secretary for each director, chief officer of an administrative office and supervisor of a key subordinate unit as determined by the county council)) If an administrative assistant or a confidential secretary, or both, for each director, chief officer of an administrative office and supervisor of a key subordinate unit are authorized, those
positions are ((shall be)) exempt from the requirements and provisions of the career service personnel system.