2007 Minnesota Statutes

375A.06 COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
    Subdivision 1. Appointment and qualification. In any county which is not operating under
either the elected county executive plan, the county manager plan, or the auditor-administrator
plan, the office of county administrator may be established. The county board may appoint and
employ the administrator upon such terms and conditions as it deems advisable and is authorized
to appropriate funds and provide suitable office space for the office. The administrator shall be
chosen solely on the basis of training, experience, and administrative qualifications and need not
be a resident of the county at the time of appointment. The administrator shall be appointed for an
indefinite period and may be removed by the county board at any time, but after the administrator
has served as administrator for one year the administrator may demand written charges and a
public hearing on the charges before the county board prior to the date when final removal takes
effect. Pending such hearing and removal, the county board may suspend the administrator from
office. The county board may designate some properly qualified person to perform the duties
of the administrator during absence or disability. The county board shall set a salary and may
provide for a termination allowance.
    Subd. 2. Other officers may be appointed. The county board may appoint as county
administrator any county officer or employee deemed to be qualified by reason of training,
experience and administrative qualifications. If a county officer or employee is appointed county
administrator, the officer or employee shall resign office and terminate its responsibilities before
assuming the office of county administrator.
    Subd. 3. Abolishing office of administrator. If the office of county administrator is
abolished, any duties and responsibilities previously assigned to the county administrator shall
be vested in the officer or department which had responsibility for the function previous to the
transfer of the function to the county administrator.
    Subd. 4. Administrator, powers and duties. The county administrator shall be the
administrative head of the county and shall be responsible for the proper administration of the
affairs of the county placed in the administrator's charge. The administrator shall exercise general
supervision over all county institutions and agencies and, with the approval of the county board,
coordinate the various activities of the county and unify the management of its affairs. If required
by the county board, the administrator may act as the head of any department, the appointment of
which is made by the county board, provided the administrator has the qualifications required by
law. Responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to, the following duties:
(a) hire qualified staff to assist the administrator in the performance of duties as approved by
the board;
(b) provide for the execution of all ordinances, resolutions and orders of the board and all
laws of the state required to be enforced through the county board, by the administrator or by
officers who are under the administrator's direction and supervision;
(c) appoint, suspend, and remove with the approval of the county board all county personnel
whose appointment, suspension or removal is a function of the county board under general law
and make such appointments with the approval of the county board to additional offices, boards,
committees and commissions both advisory and otherwise as the county board may direct;
(d) provide for county purchases including purchases of service as directed by the county
board and pursuant to purchasing regulations established by the board;
(e) prepare and submit to the county board a proposed annual budget and long-range capital
expenditure program for such period as the county board may direct, each of which shall include
detailed estimates of revenue and expenditures and enforce the provisions of the budget when
adopted by the county board;
(f) attend all meetings of the county board and recommend measures for adoption as the
administrator deems advisable or expedient;
(g) examine the books and papers of officers and departments of the county as directed by
the county board and report the findings to the county board, keep the county board fully advised
as to the financial condition and needs of the county and make such other reports from time to
time as required by the board or the administrator deems advisable.
    Subd. 5. Appointment without referendum. Notwithstanding section 375A.12, a county
board meeting the requirements of subdivision 1 may without referendum appoint a county
administrator as provided in this section.
History: 1973 c 542 s 6; 1978 c 462 s 1; 1986 c 366 s 1; 1986 c 444