To: Board of Supervisors
From: Ann Elliott, Human Resources Director
Report Title: REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS FOR TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. REVIEW applicants for the position of Treasurer-Tax Collector; and
2. DETERMINE which candidates will be invited to interview at the December 12, 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting; and
3. ADOPT Resolution No. 23-628 authorizing the County Administrator to obtain criminal history and other background information on candidates selected for interview and take related actions.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
On September 25, 2023, Russell V. Watts informed the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator in writing that he is retiring from the office of County Treasurer-Tax Collector, effective December 31, 2023. The current term of office for Treasurer-Tax Collector began on January 2, 2023, and expires on January 4, 2027. Government Code section 25304 requires the Board of Supervisors to appoint someone to fill the vacancy. The person appointed to fill the vacancy will hold the office for the unexpired term; that is, until noon on January 4, 2027.
On October 24, 2023 the Board of Supervisors established a timeline for eliciting a search for qualified candidates for appointment to the position of Treasurer-Tax Collector upon the retirement of Mr. Watts. The search included an extensive outreach plan with advertisements placed beginning October 27, 2023 and concluding on November 22, 2023 on the Counties website and social media outlets, in addition to with the following agencies:
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
• Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC)
• California Municipal Treasurers Association (CMTA)
• California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
• International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
• Government Investment Officers Association (GIOA)
Today’s action is to transmit applications, supplemental questionnaires and supporting documentation received from the Treasurer-Tax Collector search to the Board of Supervisors for review and determination as to which candidates will be invited to the December 12, 2023 regular meeting of the Board for interviews. The following six (6) candidates are to be reviewed:
• Edith “Patti” Patricia Barsotti
• Obdula “Lulis” Lopez
• Daniel Mierzwa
• Nicholas Spinner
• Syed Farhan Zamil
• Binbin Belinda Zhu
In addition, the Board is being requested to adopt Resolution No. 23-628 authorizing the County Administrator to request certain criminal history and other background information about candidates for that position, as well as to secure a Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Form 700 from each candidate. The FPPC Form 700 documents will be attached to the staff report for the December 12, 2023 meeting to assist the Board in determining whether candidates may have any potential conflicts of interest upon appointment to the position of Treasurer-Tax Collector with Contra Costa County.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
and for Special Districts, Agencies and Authorities Governed by the Board
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IN THE MATTER OF OBTAINING CRIMINAL HISTORY AND OTHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION RELATED TO CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION OF TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR
WHEREAS, on September 25, 2023, Treasurer-Tax Collector Russell V. Watts notified the Board of Supervisors of his intent to retire effective December 31, 2023; and
WHEREAS, on October 24, 2023, the Board of Supervisors established a timeline for appointment to the position of Treasurer-Tax Collector upon the retirement of Mr. Watts and, among other things, directed staff to obtain criminal history and other background information related to candidates identified for interview by the Board of Supervisors; and
WHEREAS, on November 30, 2023, the Board of Supervisors will identify candidates to be invited to the December 12, 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting to interview for the position of Treasurer-Tax Collector; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors, as appointing authority for the position of Treasurer-Tax Collector, finds that it is necessary to obtain criminal history and other background information about candidates for that position; and
WHEREAS, this information is necessary to assist the Board of Supervisors in fulfilling its duties with respect to the appointment of the Treasurer-Tax Collector, and to assure that candidates for the office are not disqualified from holding office by the Constitution or statutes of the State of California.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors:
1. Criminal History Check. The County Administrator is authorized pursuant to Penal Code section 11105(b)(11) to seek and obtain from the California Attorney General state summary criminal history information on the candidates invited to interview for the position of Treasurer-Tax Collector.
a) The County Administrator is authorized to require that candidates be fingerprinted for the purpose of obtaining summary criminal history records once candidates are identified on November 30, 2023 for interview.
b) The County Administrator shall maintain custody and control of criminal history records obtained to carry out this resolution.
c) The records shall be accessible only to the following:
i) Members of the Board of Supervisors;
ii) County Administrator;
iii) County Counsel; and
iv) Candidates to whom the records pertain.
d) The County Administrator shall destroy records containing criminal history information 30 days after the appointment of the Treasurer-Tax Collector.
2. Statement of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700). The County Administrator, or designee, shall request of each candidate scheduled for interview a current and completed Statement of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700), which shall be disclosed and made public at the December 12, 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting to assist in evaluating candidates scheduled for interview.
3. Other Background Information. The County Administrator is authorized to conduct the following additional background checks on each candidate scheduled for interview:
a) Social Media check
b) Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) check
c) Credit check
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