Over the past few weeks, I've received questions from multiple people about Fresno County's Measure U, which is on the November ballot for all Fresno County voters. Actually, I'm receiving only one question - "Should I vote yes or no?" In short, vote Yes.
For a longer explanation, keep reading.
Measure U contains four items. They are housekeeping items to update the Fresno County Charter. Together, as a single measure, it seems awkward an confusing. It may have been less confusing to have each item stand alone, each within it's own Measure on the ballot, but writing and adding a Measure on a ballot costs money. Four different Measures would cost four times as much.
Of the four items in the Measure, one item deals with the office of the County Surveyor. I am a Professional Land Surveyor. That's why I'm getting the questions. (The other three items, while not surveyor related, are similar housekeeping items necessary to help streamline future County functions.)
As the County Charter is now written, and has been for many years, the Fresno County Public Works Director is the County Engineer and the County Surveyor. The State of California requires any person using the title of Engineer or Surveyor to be licensed by the State Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/) in that field of practice. This means that, by State Law, the County Public Works Director, by definition of the County Charter, must be both a Licensed Civil Engineer and a Licensed Land Surveyor.
Prior to 1982, a Licensed Civil Engineer could practice Land Surveying. Any Licensed Civil Engineer who obtained his or her license before 1982 can still practice Surveying by being grandfathered into said practice. Suffice to say, those Engineers who obtained their licenses nearly 34 years ago are getting fewer and farther between. Engineers who obtain both licenses are also few in number, and even fewer of them have the desire to work for a Government Agency.
This brings us to the purpose of this portion of the Measure: the separation of the County Surveyor from the Public Works Director.
The current Director of Public Works is dual licensed. He is both a Civil Engineer and a Land Surveyor. As such, the separation is not immediately necessary. There will be a problem, however, when it comes time to recruit a replacement when the present Director retires. There will be few candidates, if any, legally qualified to accept the position, and at that point, it will be too late to put the Measure on the ballot.
This Charter revision needs to be made before it's needed. The purpose of this amendment is to allow the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning to appoint a County Surveyor other than himself.
The argument against Measure U, which was penned by The San Joaquin Valley Taxpayers Association, was officially filed with the County Clerk on August 17 (Link). The argument states that "...when a vacancy recently arose, there was no problem attracting qualified candidates". Fresno County was lucky to find a qualified candidate within the Fresno area, but had he not been interested in the position, there may have been a large problem. The County does have a problem attracting legally qualified candidates, due to the way the County Charter is written, and the impositions State Law has on that Charter. This can only be remedied by amending the Charter.
The argument also states that "There is NO reason the change the current charter and potentially pay two people to do what one person does now." It should be made clear that the Public Works Director for Fresno County is not a one person job. One person directs the Department, but he has more than thirty Licensed Engineers (Civil and Traffic) and four Deputy County Surveyors on staff to assist him. Amending the Charter will only be a changing of hats and titles within the Department of Public Works and Planning.
In closing, contrary to other opinion, these items are housekeeping items necessary to help streamline future County functions. There IS a looming problem with the way the Charter is written now.
Vote Yes on Measure U.
For a longer explanation, keep reading.
Measure U contains four items. They are housekeeping items to update the Fresno County Charter. Together, as a single measure, it seems awkward an confusing. It may have been less confusing to have each item stand alone, each within it's own Measure on the ballot, but writing and adding a Measure on a ballot costs money. Four different Measures would cost four times as much.
Of the four items in the Measure, one item deals with the office of the County Surveyor. I am a Professional Land Surveyor. That's why I'm getting the questions. (The other three items, while not surveyor related, are similar housekeeping items necessary to help streamline future County functions.)
As the County Charter is now written, and has been for many years, the Fresno County Public Works Director is the County Engineer and the County Surveyor. The State of California requires any person using the title of Engineer or Surveyor to be licensed by the State Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (http://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/) in that field of practice. This means that, by State Law, the County Public Works Director, by definition of the County Charter, must be both a Licensed Civil Engineer and a Licensed Land Surveyor.
Prior to 1982, a Licensed Civil Engineer could practice Land Surveying. Any Licensed Civil Engineer who obtained his or her license before 1982 can still practice Surveying by being grandfathered into said practice. Suffice to say, those Engineers who obtained their licenses nearly 34 years ago are getting fewer and farther between. Engineers who obtain both licenses are also few in number, and even fewer of them have the desire to work for a Government Agency.
This brings us to the purpose of this portion of the Measure: the separation of the County Surveyor from the Public Works Director.
The current Director of Public Works is dual licensed. He is both a Civil Engineer and a Land Surveyor. As such, the separation is not immediately necessary. There will be a problem, however, when it comes time to recruit a replacement when the present Director retires. There will be few candidates, if any, legally qualified to accept the position, and at that point, it will be too late to put the Measure on the ballot.
This Charter revision needs to be made before it's needed. The purpose of this amendment is to allow the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning to appoint a County Surveyor other than himself.
The argument against Measure U, which was penned by The San Joaquin Valley Taxpayers Association, was officially filed with the County Clerk on August 17 (Link). The argument states that "...when a vacancy recently arose, there was no problem attracting qualified candidates". Fresno County was lucky to find a qualified candidate within the Fresno area, but had he not been interested in the position, there may have been a large problem. The County does have a problem attracting legally qualified candidates, due to the way the County Charter is written, and the impositions State Law has on that Charter. This can only be remedied by amending the Charter.
The argument also states that "There is NO reason the change the current charter and potentially pay two people to do what one person does now." It should be made clear that the Public Works Director for Fresno County is not a one person job. One person directs the Department, but he has more than thirty Licensed Engineers (Civil and Traffic) and four Deputy County Surveyors on staff to assist him. Amending the Charter will only be a changing of hats and titles within the Department of Public Works and Planning.
In closing, contrary to other opinion, these items are housekeeping items necessary to help streamline future County functions. There IS a looming problem with the way the Charter is written now.
Vote Yes on Measure U.
