Orange County Supervisors have begun a month-long recess from public meetings until August, prompting discussions about the amount of work required of these elected officials and their compensation, according to a report by voiceofoc.org.
This recess follows a 25% pay increase for supervisors and boosted executive salaries in the new fiscal year budget, which also did not include raises for other county workers. The pay increase reportedly raised concerns among Orange County's grand jurors, who publicly questioned the origin of the pay hike during the budget process. These questions, according to the report, did not receive clear answers.
The current bi-weekly meeting schedule for the Orange County Board of Supervisors was implemented in 2016, a change from the previous weekly public meetings. At the time, then-County Supervisors' Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett supported the change, arguing it would improve transparency by making public agendas available two weeks before meetings. Bartlett stated the board was 'really squeezed' and that the new schedule was 'very consistent with city councils,' adding that the CEO and department heads were in favor.
However, voiceofoc.org reported that the change has resulted in 'chaotic, giant and unsearchable supplemental agendas' frequently posted on the Friday before scheduled Tuesday meetings. The initial public agenda, the report noted, often serves as a placeholder, with thousands of pages of additional items appearing days before a meeting. This practice, according to the report, reportedly allowed former Supervisor Andrew Do to advance 'questionable contracts,' which federal charges later tied to bribes.
In a 2016 column, voiceofoc.org predicted that the shift to bi-weekly meetings would create 'more stale and structured public meetings' and place department heads under the 'total control of the chairperson.' The column also suggested the changes would enable supervisors to engage in 'more ribbon cuttings, fundraising, closed door politics and privately cut deals,' potentially fostering a 'politicized environment.' A 'most recent grand jury report' was cited in the voiceofoc.org article as calling out a 'bloated, politicized county bureaucracy' perceived as serving specific interests rather than residents.
Conversely, then-County Supervisor and current Superior Court Judge Shawn Nelson opposed the 2016 change. Nelson stated, 'I want to remind you, we’re full-time here. City councils are part-time, like coaching a softball league. I signed up for a full-time job and you all did. I think this is a mistake.'
