invites your interest for:
Executive Officer
$108,154 to $131, 462 annually
Plus competitive benefits package
Solano County
Solano County is a special place, with its inviting mix of rural and suburban lifestyles and easy access to all of the urban amenities associated with two of the nation’s most dynamic metropolitan regions. Situated midway between San Francisco and Sacramento, the state capital, Solano County is home to rolling hillsides, waterfronts and fertile farmland. Residents can enjoy day trips to the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake Tahoe region and the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Thanks to mild climate, plenty of open space, proximate to lakes, rivers and mountains, residents can enjoy year round outdoor recreational activities like fishing, boating, skiing, hiking and biking. The blend of agriculture, corporate business and pleasant lifestyle enhance the attraction of living within our county.
The County encompasses over 900 square miles and has a population of over 436,000 residents, which are concentrated in the seven incorporated cities of: Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun, Vacaville and Vallejo. Limits are placed for residential and commercial development outside of the cities, thus preserving approximately 80% of the land for open space or agricultural uses.
LAFCo
Each county within California has a Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) and these local agencies are mandated by the State legislature to encourage the orderly formation of local governmental agencies, preserve agricultural land resources, and discourage urban sprawl.
The Solano Local Agency Formation Commission is an independent body, governed by a five member Board of Directors, and is comprised of two members from the County’s Board of Supervisors, two members appointed by the Cities, and one member at large. The Commission has three alternate Directors, one appointed from each group.
Solano LAFCo reviews boundaries of the cities and special districts, particularly when reviewing applications for the incorporation of property into a city or special district. Special studies that review ways to reorganize, simplify, or streamline governmental structures are occasionally undertaken, including affirming the sphere of influence for each city and special district within the county. Each five years LAFCo conducts a municipal services review of each city and special district, primarily through resources provided directly by cities or through consultant services.
Two staff members provide the administrative, technical and professional support to the Solano LAFCo.
The Position and Ideal Candidate
The Executive Officer reports directly to the Solano LAFCo Board of Directors and administers the operations of the agency, including overall policy development for Board consideration, program planning, fiscal management, and development of administrative goals. The Executive Officer is supported by an analyst. Solano LAFCo contracts with outside counsel for legal services. Additionally, Solano LAFCo and the County of Solano have a cooperative agreement whereby the County provides financial and personnel services. 
The ideal applicant will be adept in managing projects, providing direction to and managing the work of others, work independently, and engage in a participatory manner with local planning departments, cities, special districts, other regional and state agencies, and other interested parties.
Equally important is excellent administrative, analytical and financial acumen. The ability to think and act strategically to develop and deliver creative business solutions and proactive approaches to complex problems are also important. Open, clear and concise communication, proven professional ethics in order to maximize collaboration and cooperation and build and maintain positive working relationships with a variety of government and community officials will be essential in this role.
The ideal professional background includes a bachelor’s degree in public administration, urban or regional planning, economics, business administration or a related field, plus five years professional experience in land use planning, administrative, organizational or financial analysis. Course work related to land use planning, engineering, public policy, and/or environmental studies is desirable. Knowledge of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) is essential.
Compensation and Benefits Solano
LAFCO offers a comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits package. The base salary range for this position is $108,154.44 to $131,462.40 annually. The excellent benefits package includes:
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Longevity Pay – additional 2.5% of pay with 10 years of service, increasing incrementally at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service, to a 15% maximum. Prior employment with California cities, counties, joint powers authorities or special districts count toward these years of service.
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Holidays, Vacation and Sick Leave – Twelve paid holidays per year, accrue twenty vacation days per year, and accrue twelve sick leave days per year.
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Administrative Leave – Eighty hours each July 1st (pro-rated during the first fiscal year).
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Retirement – LAFCo participates in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). CalPERS retirement is based on a formula of 2.7% @ 55. A new hire not previously in CalPERS (or a reciprocal plan) or who has had defined break of service receives the PEPRA retirement formula of 2% @ 62. Employees pay their own portion of the retirement costs.
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Health Benefits – LAFCo offers a choice of CalPERS health plans with $1,393.18 paid by LAFCo. Cashback for employees who decline health insurance or enroll in employee only coverage is provided. Full-time employees and their eligible dependents are eligible for vision and dental insurance with 100% of the cost paid by LAFCo.
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Other Benefits – Employees receive employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance. Employees may also elect to participate in deferred compensation, credit union, supplemental life insurance, and flexible spending plans. Solano LAFCo participates in Medicare, but not in Social Security.
The Process and Tentative Calendar
To apply for this exceptional career opportunity, please submit an employment application through the Solano County Human Resources Department at:
https://www.jobaps.com/Solano/newregpages/termsofuse.asp?RecruitNum1=16&RecruitNum2=128030&RecruitNum3=01
This recruitment has an application final filing date of January 17, 2017. Screening interviews are tentatively scheduled for February 2, 2017, with finalist interviews by the LAFCO Board of Directors tentatively set for February 3, 2017.
Please feel welcomed to call Marc Fox at (707) 784-2552 should you have any questions regarding this position.
Supplemental Information
In reviewing the employment application, it will be very helpful if the following information is incorporated in a cover letter and attached to your application; please limit cover letters to a maximum of three pages.
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your understanding of the role and responsibility of LAFCO;
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your experience in reviewing or analyzing requests to amend land boundaries through either incorporation or disincorporation, amending or justifying a sphere of influence, and/or completing or reviewing municipal service reviews.