Kings County converts CAO to CEO and shifts appointing authority for several department heads

The Kings County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 7 voted to adopt ordinances renaming the county administrative officer position to county executive officer and to shift appointing authority for several department heads from the board to the CEO.

County counsel Mary Lerner said the change would “formally change the title from CAO to CEO, update and clarify the position's duties, and delegate to the CEO the authority to appoint most nonelected department heads.” The board voted on the second reading and adoption of the ordinance and companion amendments to sections of the Kings County Code.

Why it matters: The package consolidates managerial appointment authority in the executive office, changing how department leadership will be selected for the clerk of the board, director of finance and the surveyor/road commissioner. Supporters described the amendments as an update to a 1993 ordinance to reflect contemporary county management models.

The board adopted at least four ordinances: renaming the CAO position, changing the appointing authority for the clerk of the board, changing the appointing authority for the director of finance, and changing the appointing authority for the county surveyor/road commissioner. Each ordinance had been introduced at the board's Sept. 30 meeting and was the subject of a second reading and final adoption on Oct. 7.

During the meeting, Lerner provided legal and procedural background but no members of the public addressed the ordinances during the hearing. The board took separate roll-call votes for each ordinance; in each vote the board recorded four yes votes and one absence.

What was decided (roll-call outcomes): each ordinance passed on second reading and adoption. No amendments were offered on the floor during final action.

Next steps: Summaries of the adopted ordinances will be posted “in accordance with law,” as required by county procedure, and the CEO's office will take on the delegated appointing responsibilities described in the ordinances.

Ending: The changes take effect after the required posting; the board did not set a separate implementation timetable at the hearing.