To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
From: Executive Office and County Counsel
Meeting Date: November 4, 2025
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Department Contact: |
Sara Pierce |
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707-463-4441 |
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Department Contact: |
Matthew Kiedrowski |
Phone: |
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Item Type: Consent Agenda |
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Time Allocated for Item: N/A |
Agenda Title:
title
Adoption of an Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Mendocino Amending Sections of Mendocino County Code Chapter 2.32 - Purchasing Agent Relating to the Powers and Duties Delegated to the Purchasing Agent and Other Officials, Including an Increase in the Contract Signature Authority of the Purchasing Agent from Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) to Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000)
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Recommended Action/Motion:
recommendation
Adopt an Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of Mendocino County Amending Sections of Mendocino County Code Chapter 2.32 - Purchasing Agent relating to the powers and duties delegated to the Purchasing Agent and other officials, including an increase in the contract signature authority of the Purchasing Agent from Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) to Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000); and authorize chair to sign same.
End
Previous Board/Board Committee Actions:
On July 22, 2014, Item 5c): “Upon motion by Supervisor Brown, seconded by Supervisor McCowen, and carried unanimously; IT IS ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors adopts the revised Mendocino County Policy No. 1 - Purchasing, Leasing and Contracting Policy thereby superseding the previous Mendocino County Policy No. 1 adopted by the Board of Supervisors on April 17, 2007.”
On August 26, 2014, Item 4j): “Adoption of an Amendment to Mendocino County Policy No. 1 - Purchasing, Leasing and Contracting Policy Pertaining to Clarification of Leasing Facilities Thereby Eliminating Policy No. 20 - Departmental Space Requirements.”
On December 5, 2017, Item 4h): “Approve amendment to Mendocino County Policy No. 1, Purchasing, Leasing and Contracting, amending Section 5.0 regarding local vendor preference in order to comply with FEMA public assistance and procurement mandates.”
On October 7, 2024, Item 4d): “Introduce and waive first reading of an Ordinance Amending Sections of Mendocino County Code Chapter 2.32 - Purchasing Agent relating to the powers and duties delegated to the Purchasing Agent and other officials, including an increase in the contract signature authority of the Purchasing Agent from Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) to Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000); and possible direction to staff regrading proposed revisions to Mendocino County Policy No. 1 - Purchasing, Leasing, and Contracting Policy”
Summary of Request:
In preparing the revisions to Policy 1, staff and counsel noted certain additional revisions that should be made to Chapter 2.32 of the Mendocino County Code regarding the Purchasing Agent.
The following is a summary of the proposed changes to Mendocino County Code Chapter 2.32:
Mendocino County Code Chapter 2.32
• Section 2.32.030 - Specific Duties
o Amend paragraph (A) to provide for further delegation of certain purchasing authority to other County officials other than the Purchasing Agent. Existing Policy 1 and other countries’ purchasing policies generally allow for department heads to make purchases under certain dollar amounts or pursuant to purchasing methods established by the Purchasing Agent (such as blanket purchase orders or direct purchase authorities). This amendment clarifies that the Board may delegate, such as through the adoption of Policy 1, certain authorities to other officials than the Purchasing Agent.
o Amend paragraph (D) to better clarify that the Purchasing Agent’s authority to enter into leases of real property for the County’s use is subject to the limitations stated in Government Code section 25350.51 (which are restated in Chapter 9 of the proposed Policy 1).
o Amend paragraph (G) to increase the dollar limit for purchase of goods and services that can be made by the purchasing agent without Board approval. Pursuant to Government Code section 25502.3, in counties having a population of less than 200,000, the Board of Supervisors may authorize the purchasing agent to engage independent contractors to perform services for the county or county officers, with or without the furnishing of material, when the annual aggregate cost does not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), except that this amount can be adjusted annually by any annual increase in the California Consumer Price Index as determined pursuant to Section 2212 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. The dollar limit for purchasing agent contracts stated in Government Code section 25502.3 was changed to fifty thousand dollars in 2003. The adjusted limit based on applying the CPI from 2003 to 2025, is $89,151. Staff is therefore proposing a limit of $75,000 for delegated purchasing agent authority for goods and services. Staff believe it is prudent to keep the fixed limit below the maximum adjusted total, due to occasions where there are reductions to the CPI, as seen in 2008.
o Add a new paragraph (I) and renumber existing paragraph (I) to paragraph (J), to delegate to the Purchasing Agent the authority to grant other public entities licenses to use real property. Without such authority, such licenses are required to be approved by the Board of Supervisors. In the past, licenses for fire agencies to work on County property or for cities to make streetscape or other improvements on County property have been brought to the Board. This amendment would ease the approval of somewhat routine access to County properties. The Purchasing Agent would still have the ability to choose to have the Board review and approve such licenses.
• Section 2.32.110 - Alternative Procedure for Leasing County Realty
o Government Code section 25537 contains certain parameters under which County property may be leased or licensed for use by others. Changes proposed include revising paragraph (C) to refer to licenses as well as leases, and including additional procedural requirements in a new paragraph (D), in conformance with section 25537. These procedural requirements include that the delegation to the Purchasing Agent to execute certain leases and licenses lasts until October 1, 2030; section 25537 requires that the delegation last for no longer than a five year period.
Alternative Action/Motion:
Do not approve revised policy and provide direction to staff.
Strategic Plan Priority Designation: An Effective County Government
Supervisorial District: All
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supplemental Information Available Online At: N/A
Fiscal Details:
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source of funding: N/A |
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current f/y cost: N/A |
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budget clarification: N/A |
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annual recurring cost: N/A |
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budgeted in current f/y (if no, please describe): N/A |
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revenue agreement: No |
AGREEMENT/RESOLUTION/ORDINANCE APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNSEL: Yes
CEO Liaison: Executive Office
CEO Review: Yes
CEO Comments:
FOR COB USE ONLY
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Executed By: Atlas Pearson, Senior Deputy Clerk |
Final Status: Adopted |
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Date: November 4, 2025 |
Executed Item Type: Ordinance |
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Number: 4550 |
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