SUPERVISORS MAY DELEGATE POWER 4-1 VOTE FAVORS UPGRADING ADMINISTRATOR.

Byline: TROY ANDERSON

Staff Writer

The Board of Supervisors moved a step closer Tuesday to giving Los Angeles County Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen authority over department heads -- similar to power held by his counterparts in San Diego, Orange and Ventura counties.

Despite fears that giving more power to Janssen could mean less accountability to taxpayers, the supervisors voted 4-1 to draft a proposed ordinance within 30 days that would give him the power to recruit department heads and recommend one candidate for board approval. The supervisors would vote later on the proposal in written form.

Under the proposal, all department heads would report directly to Janssen, who could recommend that the supervisors fire one or more of them. Some political observers said the proposed ordinance could speed decision-making but might undermine accountability.

"In a county as large as Los Angeles, constituents, businesses and even local governments rely very heavily on the supervisors to help solve problems and address concerns if bottlenecks occur," said George Passantino, a senior fellow at the Reason Institute. "I'm concerned that shifting control of department heads away from the board and delegating it to the CAO could undermine your ability to do that."

The vote to make the CAO the single person accountable for ensuring that county government addresses its perpetual problems follows an unfruitful search for a new CAO.

Some have said L.A. County government's structure of five supervisors with equal authority could discourage qualified candidates from applying for or accepting the job.

Janssen intended to retire and, in recent months, the board has offered the job to two candidates -- one who rejected it outright and another who changed his mind after accepting it.

As part of making the job more appealing, the supervisors on Tuesday also directed the County Counsel's Office to draft a charter amendment for placement on the June 2008 ballot that would rename the CAO's position as that of "county executive officer" or CEO with permanent power to hire and fire department heads.

It also would include a noninterference clause, preventing the Board of Supervisors from having a part in CEO decisions.

"We have a unique opportunity to change our structure, not to shift power," Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said. "Somebody asked me this past week if I'm surrendering power. I'm not surrendering power."

Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich voted against the proposal, saying giving a nonelected department head the power to make hiring and firing recommendations would strip board members of the oversight role voters elected them for.

"This radical proposal comes as a result of the management style of David Janssen, not because he currently lacks the authority," Antonovich said.

"If the board moves forward with this proposal ... accountability will take a back seat to political posturing."

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com

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