Board agrees to review purchasing resolution and employee handbook for updates

Counsel (speaker 1) told the board the district likely operates under an outdated purchasing resolution and recommended reviewing the county's purchasing resolution as a model. Board members supported assembling a small working group — counsel, Freddie and Reagan — to draft modifications and return to the board for approval.

The group also discussed the county's newly shortened employee handbook and whether the district should adopt it, adapt parts of it, or produce its own version. Controller (speaker 5) and staff said a more detailed handbook has been useful in a small department to create consistent expectations for PTO and other operational matters; counsel asked staff to produce a list of specific changes to consider.

Board members expressed interest in finding a middle ground between overly detailed rules that constrain discretion and vagueness that leaves supervisors without guidance. Staff will prepare materials for future consideration.