2005 Minnesota Statutes

     375A.02 Elected executive plan.  

    Subdivision 1.    County executive.  In a county 
 adopting the elected executive plan, the chief executive officer 
 shall be known as county executive.  The first county executive 
 shall be elected at the county general election following the 
 adoption of the elected executive plan and every four years 
 thereafter.  The county executive shall hold office for a term 
 of four years commencing on the first Monday of January 
 following election.  Only a voter of a county shall be eligible 
 for election as county executive.  The county executive shall be 
 nominated and elected by all the voters of the county in the 
 manner provided by law for the election of county officers.  In 
 case the office of county executive is or becomes vacant by 
 reason of death, resignation or removal, it shall be filled by 
 the board of county commissioners for the unexpired term.  

    Subd. 2.    Salary.  The salary of the county executive 
 for the first year of the term shall be set by the county board 
 not less than 30 days before the first day candidates may file 
 for the office; thereafter, the salary of the county executive 
 shall be set annually by the county board at the January meeting 
 of the board; provided that the salary of the county executive 
 shall not be less than 150 percent of the salary of the highest 
 paid member of the board of county commissioners.  A minimum 
 salary for such subsequent term of the county executive shall be 
 fixed by the county board not less than 30 days before the first 
 day candidates may file for the office in an amount not less 
 than the minimum provided in this section.  

    Subd. 3.    Numbered duties; may be department head.  
 (a) The county executive shall be the administrative head of the 
 county and shall have all the powers and shall perform all the 
 duties of an administrative or executive nature vested in or 
 imposed upon the board of county commissioners by law or by 
 agreement with any municipality or other subdivision of 
 government and such additional powers as are granted or imposed 
 by the board. 

    (b) The county executive shall be responsible for the 
 proper administration of the affairs of the county placed in the 
 county executive's charge. 

    (c) By resolution of the county board the county executive 
 may serve as the head of any county department created by law or 
 established by the board provided the county executive has the 
 qualifications required by law.  

    (d) Responsibilities of the county executive shall include, 
 but are not limited to, the following duties: 

    (1) appoint an administrative assistant who shall be 
 qualified by education and training in governmental or business 
 administration and who will be responsible to the executive for 
 the orderly and efficient operation and coordination of the 
 various departments of county government; 

    (2) appoint and hire qualified staff to assist the 
 executive; 

    (3) provide for the execution of all ordinances and 
 resolutions of the board and all laws of the state subject to 
 enforcement by the county executive or by officers who are under 
 the county executive's direction and supervision; 

    (4) exercise all authority of the board of county 
 commissioners to appoint, suspend, and remove all county 
 personnel whose appointment, suspension, or removal was a 
 function of the county board under general law, make such 
 nominations and appointments to additional offices as the county 
 board may determine and make appointments to such advisory 
 boards and committees as the executive may create; 

    (5) provide for all county purchases including purchases of 
 services pursuant to purchasing regulations established by the 
 county board, but county purchasing services may be made 
 available for use by other counties and governmental 
 subdivisions; 

    (6) prepare and submit, if directed by the board to do so, 
 an administrative code incorporating the details of 
 administrative procedure for the operation of the county and 
 from time to time suggest amendments to such code; 

    (7) attend any meetings of the board of county 
 commissioners with the right to take part in any discussion, but 
 not to vote; and may recommend to the board such action as the 
 county executive deems advisable; and 

    (8) prepare and submit to the county board an annual budget 
 and a long-range capital expenditure program covering a period 
 not less than the five ensuing years each of which shall include 
 detailed estimates of revenue and expenditures and enforce the 
 provisions of the budget when adopted by the county board.  

    Subd. 4.    Veto power.  The county executive shall 
 have the power to veto any ordinance or resolution adopted by 
 the board of county commissioners.  A veto by the county 
 executive may apply to all or any items of an ordinance or 
 resolution appropriating money.  Certification of a veto must be 
 made by the executive within ten days of the adoption of the 
 ordinance or resolution by the county board and the county board 
 may override the veto by a two-thirds vote of all its members.  
 An ordinance or resolution shall become effective upon approval 
 by the county executive, the expiration of ten days after the 
 adoption of the ordinance or resolution without approval or 
 veto, or the overriding of a veto.  

    Subd. 5.    Chair elected by the board.  The county 
 board shall elect from its numbers a chair of the board who 
 shall preside at all meetings of the board.  

    HIST: 1973 c 542 s 2; 1986 c 444