HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 289 399
RESOLUTION NO .I 9
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY
URGING THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PLACE THE PROPOSED
CHARTER AMENDMENTS RECOMMENDED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
CHARTER STUDY COMMITTEE ON THE NOVEMBER 1958 BALLOT.
WHEREAS, the Los Angeles County Charter Study Committee, comprised of
distinguished citizens of outstanding professional qualifications, has
studied the existing Los Angeles County Charter; and
WHEREAS, members of said Charter Committee are unanimous in their
opinion that County government is good government, and that the existing
County Charter is basically a good document; and
WHEREAS, the present Charter has been widely characterized as simple
and flexible and should remain so; and
WHEREAS, today's conditions are different from thos existing on the
date that the present Charter became effective —June 2, 1913; and
WHEREAS, to day's population of nearly six million people is almost
ten times that of the 600,000 in this County in 1913; and
WHEREAS, the 1958 -59 total County budget of 560 million dollars com-
pares to one of four million dollars 45 years ago; and
WHEREAS, the members of County personnel have grown from 3,300 to
37,000; and
WHEREAS, the recommended Charter revisions are of paramount import-
ance which are motivated toward two primary goals - responsiveness and
accountability to the public, and efficiency and professionalization of
administration; and
r"1 WHEREAS, the summary of the changes proposed are as follows:
1. More adequate representation of nearly six million
people in the County through an increase in the member-
ship of the Board of Supervisors from 5 to 11 so that
each of the supervisors will then represent approximately
515,000 constituents instead of the 1,100,000 he repre-
sents today.
2. Separation of policy- making and legislative powers from
those of administration, with the former vested in the
elected Board of Supervisors and administration vested
in the County Manager the Board appoints and can remove
at will.
3. Professional administration through provision for non -
civil service County Manager appointed by the Board on
the basis of "his ability to perform the duties of the
office," and serving at its pleasure.
4. Improved efficiency and economy through a provision for
the power of the County to contract with private agencies
for auxiliary services in those cases where it will be in
the public interest to do so.
5. Improvement of the personnel system by:
a. Strengthening the management and administration
of the personnel program through the County
Manager's appointment of the Personnel Director
and through expanding the Civil Service Commis -
sion to five members, but restricting the Com-
mission's responsibilities to developing rules
and regulations; to hearing appeals of aggrieved
employees, and to making investigations.
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.b. Furthering the County career system through providing
for promotional rights on a reciprocal basis between
the County and the Special Districts governed by the
Board of Supervisors.
c. Attracting the best qualified personnel through pro -
viding for the simultaneous certification of qualified
candidates from both open competitive and promotional
examinations.
�•.� d. Providing discretionary authority through authorizing
the Commission to determine the duration of probation- -
ary periods and eligible lists in lieu of the present
fixed ceilings of six months and two years respectively;
and through authorizing the Board of Supervisors to de-
termine vacation privileges for County employees.
e. Transferring to the unclassified service all supervisors'
deputies, one secretary and one chauffeur in each of the
supervisor's, offices.
f. Precluding discrimination because of race, color or
national origin, by giving permanent Charter status
to present County policies assuring equal opportunity
and treatment to all County employees and all appli-
cants for County employment regardless of race, color,
or national origin.
6. Eliminating obsolete provisions, removing unnecesaary pro-
cedural details from the Charter, and general modernization
of terminology.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. That the City of Downey urges the Los Angeles County Board
of Supervisors to place the aforesaid. proposed Charter amendments before the
electorate for its decision on the November 1958 ballot.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of t h i s - resolution.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS / /f, DAY OF 1958.
Mayor
ATT - T:
City Clerk
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted by the
City ClUncil of he City of Downey at a regular meeting thereof held on the
// k day of , 1958 by the following vote of the Council, to
wit:
4/AYES: Councilmen; , 1 ' /
D NOES: Councilmen
s
ABSENT: Councilmen: , , / , /
City C1 rk