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Committee recommends allowing CEO employment agreements to specify removal vote thresholds
Summary
The Charter Review Committee voted to recommend adding optional language that would allow a county CEO's employment agreement to specify a different vote threshold for removal than the default three-member affirmative requirement.
The Placer County Charter Review Committee on Sept. 29 recommended that the Board of Supervisors consider a narrow charter amendment to permit, but not require, inclusion in a county executive officer's employment contract of an alternative removal threshold.
Under current charter language the CEO may be removed by an affirmative vote of three supervisors. The committee voted to recommend adding a clause that would allow the Board and a prospective CEO, by employment contract, to specify a different removal-vote structure when both parties agree.
Why it matters: Committee members who supported the change said the provision would make the CEO position more competitive, allow the board to negotiate stronger recruitment packages and avoid situations in which a CEO refuses an offer because of perceived instability. Supporters said the change would preserve the board's authority to remove a CEO while allowing contractual flexibility.
What the committee approved: The committee voted in favor of forwarding the proposed, narrowly worded amendment language as a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, with the staff's legal analysis included. The roll-call vote was recorded in the meeting minutes.
Staff and legal context: Committee members emphasized that the language is permissive: it does not change the default charter removal threshold; it only allows the board and prospective CEO to negotiate a different threshold as part of an employment contract. The committee asked staff to transmit the recommendation and the draft language to the Board of Supervisors for consideration and potential placement on a future ballot, if desired.
Next steps: Staff will include the recommended permissive language and the committee's roll-call vote in the packet transmitted to the Board of Supervisors.
