Executive director raises succession plan and five‑year contract timeline; commission agrees to keep item on future agendas

The commission’s executive director notified members that the five‑year contract term requires a renewal process beginning well before the current contract’s end. The executive director said the contract period ends in "a year and a month" and that the commission will need to run an RFP and complete hiring well before the next July 1 contract start date.

The executive director said she intends to apply for the position again but urged the commission to plan an open application process and suggested forming a committee to manage the recruitment. She said the RFP process needs to be underway earlier than November to be ready for a July 1 effective date and suggested adding the item as a standing agenda matter; commissioners agreed to place it on the July meeting agenda.

The executive director described the position as an independent contractor arrangement in Del Norte and explained that the contract allows her to delegate up to 40% of the work to an assistant contracted through the commission; she also said converting the position to a county employee would create higher costs for retirement and benefits. Policy advisory member Tasha Alstrand asked whether other RTPAs use independent contractor structures; the executive director said a mix exists statewide and cited other counties as examples.

Nut graf: Because the commission’s contract structure and the timing constraints governed by Caltrans funding rules require a public RFP and scheduled transition, staff and commissioners are preparing a transparent recruitment process; the executive director said she will assist within allowable limits and noted Autumn Luna may have application materials from the prior cycle.

No final hiring decision or contract change was made at this meeting; commissioners agreed to keep the process on future agendas and to handle any committee work in an open public meeting.