HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-21-2012 - 5eORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: February 21, 2012
Action Agenda
Item No. ~ e
SUBJECT: Adjusting the Limits on the County Manager's Contracting Authority and
Ratifying a Manager Approved Grant Agreement
DEPARTMENT: County Attorney PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
INFORMATION CONTACT:
John Roberts, 245-2318
PURPOSE: To adjust the Manager's contracting authority as discussed at the January 31,
2012 Board work session.
BACKGROUND: At the January 31, 2012 work session the Board discussed adjusting the
Manager's signature authority related to intergovernmental agreements and contracts.
Currently the Manager is authorized by the budget ordinance to sign contracts and agreements
with private individuals and business entities as follows: Service agreements -$89,999 and
under; Consulting agreements -$89,999 and under except for Board consultants; and
Construction agreements - $249,999 and under.
Traditionally, signing intergovernmental agreements has been reserved to the Board of
Commissioners by way of various unwritten rules and/or the understanding of staff. Authorizing
the Manager to sign certain intergovernmental agreements would make the signing process for
these agreements more efficient in that many of the agreements now approved by the Board
are approved by the managers of the other entities in the agreements and are for minor dollar
amounts. Future authorizations will be addressed in the annual Budget Ordinance.
Recently the Manager signed an application for a$20,000 grant - the State Library of North
Carolina Library Services and Technology Act EZ Grant. No matching funds are required. The
deadline to sign the application was February 16th. For various reasons it was unable to be
included on the February 7th agenda and the February 21St agenda would have been too late.
After consultation with the County Attorney, the Manager signed the application and pre-
agreement so Orange County would not be deprived of the grant funds.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Attorney recommends the Board:
1. Authorize the Manager to sign intergovernmental service agreements in amounts under
$90,000; and
2. Authorize the Manager to sign intergovernmental grant agreements regardless of amount
as long as no expenditure of County matching funds not previously budgeted and
approved by the Board is required. Subsequent budget amendments will be brought to
the BOCC for revenue generating grant agreements not requiring County matching funds
as required for reporting and auditing purposes; and
3. Direct the Manager and Attorney to provide a quarterly report to the County
Commissioners showing the type and amount of each intergovernmental agreement
signed by the Manager; and
4. Ratify the Manager's approval of the State Library of North Carolina Library Services and
Technology Act EZ Grant.