To: Board of Supervisors
From: Gus Kramer, County Assessor
Report Title: Temporary Hire of a County Retiree and Waiver of the 180-Day “Sit-Out Period” for the Assessor’s Office
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. CONSIDER waiving the 180-day “sit-out period” for Robin Cantu, Assessor’s Customer Services Coordinator, in the Assessor’s Office.
2. FIND that the appointment of Ms. Cantu is necessary to fill a critically needed position; and
3. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the hiring of County retiree, Robin Cantu, as a temporary County employee for the period of November 15, 2024 through November 15, 2025, as recommended by the County Assessor.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Salary costs are included within the Department’s budget. The total cost for the requested period is approximately $115,525.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Employee Pension Reform Act of 2013 requires that active members who retire on or after January 1, 2013, must wait 180 days after retirement before returning to work as a temporary employee. The Act also allows the Board, based on a finding that the appointment is necessary to fill a critically needed position, to waive the 180 day “sit-out” period.
Ms. Cantu retired from County service on October 30, 2024. She was hired in the Assessor’s Office over 35 years ago and retired in the position of Assessor’s Customer Services Coordinator, with more than 38 years of service to the County. The position of Assessor’s Customer Services Coordinator is a critically needed position.
Ms. Cantu was responsible for managing many crucial tasks for the Assessor’s staff, the Administration team, and our taxpayers. Ms. Cantu’s assignments included, departmental Payroll Manager, departmental Telecom System Administrator, departmental Human Resources Transactions Administrator and New-Hire Coordinator, departmental Performance Review Program Administrator, departmental manager of Purchasing, departmental manager of our Workday transactions team, Assessor’s Webpage Coordinator, Customer Services Coordinator managing all webpage customer emails and problem resolution with taxpayers, county Inter-departmental liaison for taxpayer related matters, departmental liaison to the State Board of Equalization, manager of Assessor’s public outreach program, and administrative support for the Assessor, including calendar coordination.
The Assessor’s Office does not have staff who are able to perform the duties of the Assessor’s Customer Services Coordinator. The Department would like to hire Ms. Cantu as a temporary employee from November 15, 2024 through November 15, 2025, to perform these critical operational duties and to train staff.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to receive Board approval will create a tremendous strain on existing staff and will severely impact operations affecting staff, our ability to serve taxpayers, and administrative functions.