Drafter
Clerk 03/18/2005
Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing the office of deputy ombudsman for rural and unincorporated area affairs; amending Ordinance 473, Section 8, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.52.080 and adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 2.52.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings: The council hereby finds:
A. King County serves simultaneously as the regional county government for the entire county and as the local government for the unincorporated areas of the county. Citizens of the rural and unincorporated areas and councilmembers representing these areas long have expressed serious concerns about whether this dual governmental role is fair and effective. These concerns have initiated widespread discontent in these areas of the county to the extent that many persons have urged the legislature to divide King County and authorize creation of a new county encompassing the rural eastern part of the county.
B. The King County ombudsman serves as an officer who assists citizens who are having difficulties with the administrative processes of county government and responds to their related grievances against their government. Although this office presently serves all county citizens, it is appropriate to enhance significantly the services provided to citizens of the rural and unincorporated areas by creating a specific position for those purposes.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 473, Section 8, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.52.080 are hereby amended to read as follows:
Organization of office.
A. The director shall with concurrence of the council, appoint a tax advisor. The tax advisor shall not be included in the classified civil or career service of the county.
B. The director shall with concurrence of the council appoint a deputy ombudsman for rural and unincorporated area affairs. The deputy director shall not be included in the classified civil or career service of the county.
C. The director may with concurrence of the council select, appoint((,)) and compensate, within the amount available or budgeted by appropriation, such other assistants and employees as ((he)) the director may deem necessary to discharge ((his)) the director's responsibilities under this chapter. ((Such)) The assistants and employees shall not be included in the classified civil or career service of the county.
((C.)) D. The director may delegate to other members of ((his)) the director's staff any of ((his)) the director's authority or duties under this chapter except this power of delegation and the duty formally to make recommendations to administrative agencies or reports to either or both the King County executive and((/or)) the county council.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 3. There is hereby added to K.C.C. chapter 2.52 a new section to read as follows:
Deputy ombudsman for rural and unincorporated area affairs.
The deputy ombudsman for rural and unincorporated area affairs shall, under the supervision of the ombudsman:
A. Exercise with respect to matters involving issues arising in the rural and unincorporated areas all powers conferred upon the ombudsman under this chapter other than duties assigned by ordinance to the tax advisor;
B. Conduct outreach in rural and unincorporated communities in order to advise the council and executive on legislative and administrative matters affecting those constituencies; and
C. Assist rural and unincorporated residents with any county administrative process.