LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors approved a new policy governing the county’s purchasing of real estate and also updated an existing policy that covers how the county leases property.
Deputy Administrative Officer Alan Flora said that the policy updates resulted from board direction on Nov. 6.
The proposed policies were circulated to department heads who either purchase or lease property, he said, with excellent insight and recommendations resulting.
Flora said board direction was to give more consistency and a comprehensive look at property purchases.
The process utilizes the County Administrative Office and the county space committee “as a mechanism to provide a consistent and objective analysis of proposed property acquisitions,” his report explained.
The policies lay out the requirements and criteria for the acquisition process, with the County Administrative Office and the space committee working with departments proposing acquisitions in order to prepare to take purchase requests to the board. Flora’s report said the process should eliminate wastefulness, “both of staff time and money.”
The new property purchasing policy has a procedure that includes the department wanting to buy property providing a detailed list of why it needs the property, why current county property is insufficient, a description of space requirements and a preferred location, and identification of a proposed funding source.
There is then numerous steps that follow, including a property appraisal, contacting necessary agencies like Environmental Health and preparation of necessary documents. The full criteria can be seen below.
The leasing process is similar, with departments required to submit similar explanations of need, desired location and funding. After conceptual approval, a shorter list of requirements follows, including preparing a draft lease agreement and submitting the documents to the appropriate officials and individuals.
“This is what I was looking for when I suggested we do this,” said Board Chair Rob Brown, adding it would be more centralized.
Brown said there have been times when a department wants something but it comes down to it not being a great need.
Supervisor Denise Rushing asked if it would increase the County Administrative Office’s workload.
“I think it increases their workload when we don’t have a policy like this,” Brown said.
County Administrative Officer Matt Perry said his office is already involved in the process.
Flora said county staff also is nearing completion of work on a new policy to govern construction and renovation of county properties.
Supervisor Jim Comstock moved to approve the new property purchasing and leasing policies, which the board approved 5-0.
He also moved to rescind the existing property leasing policy in order to put the new leasing policy in place. That vote also was unanimous.
A short time later, in the same meeting, the board directed that the issue of acquiring a Clearlake Oaks substation for the sheriff’s office be routed through the new process.
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